Moving On  Part 2 to Death of a Top Gun Pilot
by alaarakk
Summary: New place, new challenges and throw into the mix one pesky dead wife!  What's a man to do?  They say bad luck always comes in three's but surely it can't apply here...or can it?
1. Chapter 1

**Six Months Later…..**

"What's up with you?" Maverick looked at his tense bleary eyed partner as he helped himself to his morning cup of coffee.

"I need to get laid," Lee muttered crankily poking through a cupboard for something to eat.

Maverick laughed, "Ah yes, sexual frustration has finally kicked in."

"Something like that. Doesn't your wife do any shopping these days?"

"It's a bit hard with six kids, work and you two in and out of here at all hours for god knows how long. Good morning gorgeous, how long do you think you'll be here for this time?" Maddie appeared and gave her husband a loving kiss.

The boys had arrived home at two thirty that morning after a five day deployment god knew where. "Here eat that!" Maddie shoved a box of cereal the kids had wanted but not liked into Lee's hands. It'd been sitting on the shelf for at least three weeks.

"Thanks," Lee muttered and carried his breakfast stuff over to the table.

"Normal off call for one week," Maverick replied getting a bowl and pinching some of the breakfast cereal off Lee. His partner was eating it so it must have been alright.

"Oh good, you two can pick the kids up from school, deal with the principal when they're in trouble, do the shopping and clean the house."

"What did your last slave die of?" Lee grumbled and Maverick laughed at the murderous look Maddie gave him.

"What?" Lee looked at him annoyed.

"Just laughing at the look Maddie gave you given your present state of mind."

"Oh," Lee went back to eating his breakfast.

Suddenly a shriek of joy echoed through the house and Krystal's voice rang out loud and clear. "Dad's home!"

"How do you know?" Rachael retorted.

"His bed's all messy! Come on!" Two sets of footsteps clattered down the stairs and the two miniature whirlwinds hurled themselves straight into their father's arms. "Daddy!"

Lee hugged them tightly and let them shower his face with kisses of glee. Both girls talked at once bringing him up to date on pre-school and everything else they could think of.

"Your son turns two tomorrow, by the way," Maddie advised over the commotion.

"Yeah and we're having a party and Maddie said Krystal and I can invite a friend each too," Rachael informed him.

"Did she? Well aren't you two lucky. Now, don't you two have pre-school today?"

"Yeap, come on Rachael let's go watch TV!" Krystal jumped down off her father's knee and the two identical pyjama clad girls ran off into the living room.

"Hey! What about getting dressed first?" Lee called after them.

"Later Dad!"

Maddie pulled a face and joined the men at the table with her cup of coffee.

Fifteen minutes later there was an almighty shriek of anger through the house just as Darry walked into the kitchen dressed ready for school. "Hi Dad, when did you get home?" He asked sitting down at the table and waiting for his Mum to give him breakfast.

"Where's Eli?" Maddie asked.

"He's coming. We got that speech thingy today and he's practicing." Darry rolled his eyes and picked up the box of cereal off the breakfast table. It was empty. "Ohhh who ate all the cereal? I like this one."

"Yeah right, that's why it's been sitting on the shelf for the last three weeks after you took one bite and told me it was yucky." Maddie put a plate of toast down in front of him. "What did you to do Chels this time?"

"Darry Mitchell you are dead!" An angry looking Chelsea walked in the kitchen with a sopping wet school bag in hand.

"That!" Darry grinned unafraid of his mother's wrath.

"Darry," Maddie groaned and resisted the urge to give her son a good smack over the ear.

Maverick and Lee looked Chelsea waiting to see what she was going to do next. "Hello Honey, miss me?" Lee asked.

"Later Dad, I have more important things to do." She flipped her long hair back over her shoulder the exact same way her mother used too and Lee sighed at the memory.

"Not my fault you left your bag outside," Darry muttered shoveling in his toast.

"I did not leave it outside you Ignoramus! You stole it and put it in the shower again now my homework's ruined!"

"Oh no, Miss Straight A's might have to fail. Ha ha!"

"Darry," Maddie warned again while both boys looked on at the growing war in amusement.

"Maddie can I have some cereal?" Chelsea turned her back on Darry and set about getting something to eat.

"Sure you can." Maddie got up and got a bowl of cereal ready for her. "There you go."

"Thanks Maddie." Chelsea ate a couple of bites and pulled a face, "I think the milk's off."

"I don't think so, I only bought it yesterday. Besides your father and Maverick haven't dropped dead yet and they've been drinking it all morning." Maddie winked at her husband.

Chelsea took another bite and chewed thoughtfully, "No I definitely think it's off. I don't like it." Chelsea got up and walked past the small bench that held their school bags. "Oh look a new bin," She chortled with glee and tipped her bowl straight into Darry's schoolbag. The smile of satisfaction was huge.

Darry leapt to his feet with a yell of anger while Chelsea took off running laughing. They shot straight out the back door and Maddie rolled her eyes letting them go.

Lee shook his head watching his daughter taunt his partner's son. "You want me to do something about that?"

Maddie shook her head, "No, if it's not something now it'll be something else later. It's pretty normal for those two. I only step in if it gets dangerous or way out of control. Chelsea's so much like her mother it's not funny and Darry's, well, Darry's Darry so go figure."

Lee laughed and looked slyly at his partner, "Yeah go figure." He shared a conspiratal wink with her. "I guess I'd better get birthday boy up and moving?"

"Yes he's probably raising holy hell in his cot right about now."

"Okay."

"Honey, why don't you take a break while Lee and I sort this school bag mess out?" Maverick stood up and guided his wife back to the table handing her some toast. Maddie smiled gratefully at him.

"Thanks Mav."

"You got court today?"

"Yeah why?"

"Eat that and go get ready, take your time. We'll take care of the kids."

"Now why does that sound really really scary?"


	2. Chapter 2

Maddie finally shut off the hot stream of water feeling a million times better. Toweling herself dry she wrapped the towel around her and turned to the mirror.

Written in the steam on it was the word 'boo.' She couldn't help but smile at the thought of her husband sneaking in and writing it. Even after seven years of marriage he still knew how to make her smile. Still she was surprised she hadn't heard him or that he hadn't jumped in the shower with her as he was prone to doing most times.

Maddie was about to wipe down the mirror when suddenly her towel fell onto the floor. Not thinking much of it other than not having secured it properly she picked it up and wrapped it back round herself only to have it fall straight back off again. '_Damn it!_' She muttered to herself and this time made sure it was tucked in nice and tight.

Picking up her foundation from the nearby glass shelf she started to shake it when she felt the knot of her towel being tugged. Whirling half expecting to see Maverick standing there with an impish grin, she started in surprise when there was nobody. Still the knot came undone and once again the towel fell to the floor.

'_What the hell?'_ Maddie looked at the heaped towel thinking maybe Maverick might have tied a string to it so he could pull it undone from outside the bathroom but when she checked there was nothing. Deciding she couldn't spend all morning wrapping a towel around herself she hung it back over the towel rail and slipped into the expensive underwear. Turning back to apply the foundation she found more steam and the words, 'miss me?' The previous word of 'boo' was gone completely.

Maddie stood there for a minute or two thinking when a thought occurred to her and she wrote her own words in the steam. 'Hello Ashley.'

After a second or two of silence Maddie detected the faint sound of laughing even though she was alone and the room was silent.

"Does Lee know you've been hanging around?" Maddie asked out loud and watched as the word 'no' appeared in the steam followed by 'not yet.'

"Who are you talking too Honey?" The bathroom door opened and Maverick stood there.

"Just our resident ghost," Maddie shrugged calmly and wiped the mirror so she could see to do her foundation.

"Ghost hey?"

"Yeap and don't worry she's friendly, might give Lee a bit of a hard time but nothing he hasn't handled before."

"Let me guess the ghost just happens to be called Ashley?" Maverick asked with one eyebrow raised in disbelief.

"Yeap," Maddie giggled.

"We definitely need to find Lee another woman, you've been on your own far too long with way too many kids." Maverick shook his head laughing in disbelief when he felt a violent shove out the bathroom and the door was slammed shut in his face.

Now it was Maddie's turn to laugh, "Now do you believe me?" She called to him.

"Maybe," He replied mystified. Maddie couldn't resist a small smile to herself when he tried the door handle and it refused to open. Maverick sighed in frustration and called through the door, "Lee and I are dropping kids off, we'll be back soon."

"Okay."

Again she heard the tinkling familiar laugh on the air and couldn't resist a smile to herself. "Oh Ashley I have missed you."

Again the mirror fogged up and the word 'yeap' appeared.

That night the kids were left with a babysitter and Maverick, Maddie and Lee headed for the on base Officer's Club and drinks with their fellow team mates. Maddie found herself looking forward to meeting up with some of the other Nightstalker women she hadn't seen in awhile. Her busy job schedule took care of that.

The place was crowded and as the trio walked in they were welcomed with rousing hi's from the boy's fellow workers. Everyone knew everyone in that club and Maverick and Lee found they quite liked that fact. Maddie was respected and treated with dignity by all the men, most of whom flirted with her. Maverick didn't worry though. He knew the Nightstalkers code of honour and how they upheld it.

In no time they were welcomed to join friends at a table and the trio got down to some serious drinking, chatting and dancing when the music was right. Lee surveyed the room and noticed the percentage of women far outweighed that of the men, several were looking mighty interesting. Even more so after his fifth double scotch.

Eventually a dark chestnut haired girl caught his attention and he stared at her openly as he felt the desire growing from within. When she threw him an interested smile and wink he moved in and asked her to dance. Holding her lightly in his arms he marveled at the feeling that had been missing from his life for so long. God it felt good!

The girl was nice enough, chatty and clearly out to screw anything that was remotely special forces related. When Lee told her he was a navigator and helped fly the helicopter's that carried the special forces guys she was more than a willing participant in his plan to get lucky.

Maverick and Maddie watched in amusement as Lee slid nicely back into his playboy role that had been abandoned since his marriage. It didn't take him long before he was whispering dirty minded suggestions in her ear making her blush and giggle in delight.

The arms wound up around his neck as she pressed in close and he started to kiss her behind some potted palm in a dark corner. The heat they created practically sent his senses into overdrive and he battled fiercely to keep control as his hands wandered and she arched invitingly.

With a groan Lee dragged his mouth away from her's and laid his forehead against her's breathing heavily.

"Maybe we should look at going somewhere a bit more private?" Lee suggested, his fingers stroking the tender skin at the base of her throat.

"Sounds good to me." Her lips parted seductively and Lee turned away with a groan.

"Let's go." He took her hand and gently tugged her after him but she didn't follow. Not quite understanding the problem he turned back to see her watching him hesitatingly. "What's the matter?"

"You're married." It was a statement not a question.

Lee looked down at their entwined hands and saw the gold band glittering there resting against her small fingers. "No I'm not, my wife died six months ago."

"Oh," She murmured looking apprehensive. "How long were you married for?"

"Eight years why?"

"Oh no reason, just curious I guess."

"Lee!" Lee felt his partner's hand clap him on his shoulder.

"Maverick what can I do for you?"

"Maddie and I are heading off or our babysitter will never work for us again. See you at home?"

"Yeah we were just about to head off ourselves."

"Want me to put the coffee on or are you just going to bypass it and get down to work?" Maverick winked cheekily at his friend.

Lee thumped him lightly on the shoulder, "Get out of here Mitchell!"

"Yes Sir!" Maverick walked away chuckling.

Lee shook his head and turned back to his girl who was now biting her lip in apprehension. She'd also let go of his hand and when he reached to take it again she kept it out of his reach. "Did he say something about a babysitter?"

"Yeah we have six kids between us, two are his and the rest mine. Babysitter's don't last real long with that many kids around."

"I can see why. Look Lee, I'm sure you're a really nice guy and all but I don't get involved with men who well," She looked away licking her lip, thinking. "Who have a past. Sorry I think we could have been good together." The girl patted his chest and slipped away into the crowd.

'_What the fuck?_' Lee's eyes followed the girl not quite comprehending what had just happened. He watched her walk up to one of his fellow pilots and within fifteen or so minutes she was walking out the door with him.

It was then that he realized in the eight years he'd been involved with marriage and kids the world of dating had changed and he was no longer the young spunk women drooled over. He was a family man with station wagon, house in the suburbs and a dog in the yard. That hurt! That pissed him off more than anything. He cursed and kicked himself as he headed straight for the bar and ordered drink after drink of just about anything.


	3. Chapter 3

"Please tell me that's not your pager," Maddie groaned rolling over beside her husband barely awake.

"No that's the phone, stay there, I'll be right back." Maverick slipped from between the sheets and padded out into the hall to get the phone.

Maddie drifted back into the land of pleasant dreams but was awake five minutes later when Maverick walked back into the bedroom and pulled his jeans on.

"What time is it?" Maddie asked groggily.

"Three."

"Where are you going?"

"Sheriff's office, Lee got himself arrested."

"What?" Maddie's eyes flew open and she was wide awake.

Maverick chuckled, "Yeah that was my reaction too."

"Any idea what for?"

"Something about making a public nuisance of himself."

"Oh Lee what are you doing?" Maddie groaned falling back onto the bed and watching her handsome husband button his shirt. "You want me to come too?"

"No Honey, you deal enough with laws and sheriff offices everyday. I'll go and get him."

"Mav?" Maddie called as he slipped his keys in his pocket and went to leave the bedroom.

"Yes Honey?"

"Give him one hell of a smack over the head, he deserves it."

Maverick smiled in understanding, "With pleasure."

"Evening Sheriff, I believe you're holding a Captain Lee Sanders, United States Army?"

"Yes I am and you are?" The Sheriff filled something in in a book and turned it towards Maverick for signing. "Name, date and sign there."

"I'm the poor sucker who had to come bail him out," Maverick replied signing where indicated.

"You have my sympathies, he's in a pretty bad way."

"Someone jump him?"

"Nope, he's been hitting the bottle pretty hard I'd say." The sheriff took a bunch of keys and selected one. He moved a portion of the front counter aside and motioned for Maverick to follow him back to the cells.

Lee was stretched out along a wooden bench snoring his sweet little head off when the sheriff unlocked the cell door. "Hey you!" The sheriff gave Lee a hefty kick. "Your ride's here, you have to clear out."

Lee grunted and rolled over sleeping on. Maverick could smell the fumes from a good three feet away. "Geez Sanders, how much did you have to drink?"

The sheriff gave him a look that said, '_told ya_.'

"Got a bucket Sheriff? It's about the only thing that's going to wake him up. Its either that or I leave him here and bring his kids in in the morning."

The sheriff laughed, "I'll get the bucket. Got a few kids has he?"

"Four."

"No wonder he's drunk. Here you go." The Sheriff handed him the bucket of cold water and moved back.

"Sorry to do it to you mate." Maverick threw the bucket of water over his partner bringing him stumbling back to consciousness with a wham. "Mission accomplished, thanks Sheriff."

"Huh?" Lee sat up bleary eyed and swaying slightly.

"No problem." He took the bucket and left Maverick to pick up his drunken army mate.

"Come on you, time to go home." Maverick gently lifted his friend up by his upper arm. Lee stumbled sideways and Maverick had to brace himself against a wall or fall on the floor.

"Hey Mitchell, come to join the party?" Lee slurred struggling to keep his feet.

"Something like that. Christ you stink!" Maverick looped Lee's arm over the back of his neck and half pulling him, managed to get him out the of the cell. It only took four attempts at getting him through the doorway.

"Where we going?" Lee asked, half out of it.

"Home."

"Maddie's going to murder me isn't she?"

"Ohhhhh yeah. Look out Sheriff, coming through."

The Sheriff scrambled to his feet at the sight of the two and quickly moved everything out of the way as the drunk's feet wandered in all directions. Eventually they got past the front counter and into the foyer area. The Sheriff slammed and locked the office door behind them. He was officially closed for the rest of the night.

"Hey Mitchell?" Lee asked as Maverick leant him up against the side of his jeep as he searched for his keys.

"What?"

"Why am I all wet?"

"Because you wouldn't wake up so I had to throw a bucket of cold water over you."

"Oh," Lee stared vacantly into the distance before throwing up.

Maverick jumped very quickly out the way. "Christ Lee! You could have warned me!"

"Sorry," Lee mumbled wiping his hand with the back of his mouth.

"Any more?"

"Don't know."

"You want to stay here a while just in case?"

"Yeah, probably a good idea," Lee's voice wasn't so slurred but it sounded tired.

"If you pass out on me, I'm leaving you here."

Lee only smiled. It wouldn't be the first time his partner had left him unconscious somewhere.

"Why'd she have to die Mav? I mean she was a great girl, never did a thing wrong except date me and this happens to her."

"I've wondered the same thing myself over the last few months but there's no answer and there's certainly no answer in the bottle either."

"I know that!" Lee snapped, "Stupid bitch I was chatting up didn't like the fact I had been married or that I had kids so she pissed off with Dragon."

"Bummer!" Maverick rubbed his shoulder in understanding and sympathy.

"If Ashley hadn't left me I wouldn't have to worry about dating and women all over again."

"Do me a favour and get this through your thick head, Ashley did not leave you, she died. There's a difference and besides you'll find someone else, you know you will. A man like you is never without a girl somewhere. Why don't you ask one of the TOC girls out? They all know you're married with kids."

"I don't want a relationship, Mav, I want to get LAID!"

"There's a brothel down the road. I'm sure some of the boys could recommend them."

"You're serious aren't you?" Lee looked at his friend hard.

"You have a need and they service that need, what's the matter with that?"

"Nothing except I don't get to spend the night with them."

"Then get yourself an escort for an evening! I know you've got money so buy what you want."

"What's the matter with you?"

"It's three thirty in the morning. I've just been pulled out of a warm bed next to a wife I don't see as often as I should, to pick up a drunk mate. What do you think is the matter with me?"

"Sorry."

"Yeah so am I, now get in but let me know if you're going to throw up again."

"I think we're right now." Lee mumbled and let Maverick shove him into the front passenger seat of the jeep.

As Maverick closed the door quietly to Lee's room he wondered the exact same thing his partner was, _'Why did Ashley have to go and die?'_ She was the one thing in that man's life who made him happy and kept him settled.


	4. Chapter 4

'_What the hell was that noise?_' Lee jerked awake with a resounding headache to his radio blaring some heavy metal rock music with a thudding beat. Suddenly the curtains were flung open and brilliant sunlight flooded the room, piercing straight through his eyes to the back of his skull. His stomach churned alarmingly and he was grateful to see a bucket beside the bed.

'_Oh Christ!_' Lee muttered squinting from the bright light and feeling around the bedside table for his sunglasses. He slid them on but it did nothing to alleviate the pounding head or the irritating thud of the music. Stretching his arm out he grabbed the radio, yanking it out of the wall and hurling it across his room. The satisfaction he felt when it broke was enormous.

He didn't have the strength to get up and close the curtains so he rolled over and shoved his head under his pillows, going back to sleep.

Sleep was impossible though as his stomach churned and his head felt like a thousand pairs of concrete boots were marching across it.

Then came the smell.

The irritatingly nauseous smell of grease frying and once again Lee fought the nausea but it was too strong.

Add a sore stomach to the headache and nausea and you had one sick man when the door flew open and three girls piled in screaming, laughing and yelling for their Dad. They jumped on the bed excitedly begging him to get up. Krystal pulled his protective pillow away while Chelsea just about ripped off his sunglasses and Rachael prised up an eyelid.

"Yeap he's awake."

"Cool! Come on Dad up you get, we're going to the fair today! You promised you'd ride on the twirl-a-whirl with me and Darry," Chelsea stated.

Lee stomach heaved again but nothing came up.

"How about we go tomorrow Girls? Can I have my sunglasses back please Chels?"

"Why? Did you get drunk last night?"

"Yeah."

Chelsea looked at the sunglasses thoughtfully before shrugging, "Oh alright but you have to get up first."

"Fine I'm up." Lee sat up in the bed and immediently Rachael and Krystal jumped on his shoulders squealing for him to play with them.

"Maddie!" Lee called in pain.

"Morning Lee, got some visitors I see?" Maddie stood in the bedroom doorway dressed casually in jeans and a black tank top, Jake in her arms.

"Get rid of them please."

"Why? Are they annoying you?" She grinned impishly biting down on her lip at the sad and sorry state of her friend. "Oh by the way, he needs changing." Maddie handed Jake over to him who happened to be wearing a ripe smelling nappy.

Lee turned white. Kids were flung in every direction as he bolted to his feet, out the door and into the bathroom. Surprisingly Rachael still hung on around his neck, practically strangling him as he reached the toilet and heaved yet again.

Maddie was in hysteric's as to were the girls, they had thought it was a great game. Jake sat in the middle of his father's bed clapping his hands with delight. She noticed the open curtains and broken radio and instinctively knew it was their resident ghost. '_Nice touch Ashley,_' Maddie muttered under her breath and was rewarded with a familiar faint sounding giggle.

"How's Lee?" Maverick asked as Maddie and the three girls clattered down the stairs and into the kitchen.

"Sick so I left Jake for him to change."

Maverick's face said it all as he dropped bits of bacon and toast on his and Maddie's plates. Maddie had to laugh, she couldn't help it.

At that moment he phone rang and she picked it up still giggling at the picture of a very hungover Lee changing his son's nappy.

"Hi Hollywood, how goes the space program?...Yeah? That's great! How's Michaela and the kids?...No not much. You want to talk to the big tough Nightstalker?...Yeah he is, hold on." Maddie handed the phone over to her husband as kids clattered around the kitchen sniffing for breakfast.

"Hey 'Wood, how's the space shuttle going?...Here, there and everywhere, most of it classified but I've got the week off so it's not so bad…..Upstairs very hung over….Yeah, missing Ashley greatly. So when's the launch?" Maverick grabbed the notepad Maddie kept by the phone and scribbled down a day and time. "Yeah, no we will for sure….We'll wave….Yeah I'll let the other's know…..No haven't heard from anyone since the funeral….Okay, good luck, let us know how it goes and see you when you get back….Bye." Maverick hung up the phone as Maddie turned to him, her face questioning. "Eleven thirty Friday morning they're televising the launch on CNN. Hollywood's flying the shuttle and all going well they don't think it'll be postponed."

"We'll have to watch it." Maddie remarked organizing breakfast for Chelsea and the twins.

Two seconds later Darry appeared with Jake and Eli following.

Maverick watched his two son's and wondered how on earth they were related. Where Darry was sloppy, Eli was as neat as a pin. Darry's shirt hung out all over the place, Eli's was tucked in. Darry's shirt was rumpled, Eli's still looked as if it came off an ironing board. Darry's hair was a mess, Eli's was combed perfectly into place. Darry's shoelaces were undone or sloppily tied, Eli's were done up tightly in double knots. Darry had to be dragged kicking and screaming to do homework, Eli jumped at it and loved it. Darry was into all things death and destruction, Eli was into books and researching. Darry could be rude and cheeky, Eli was articulate and precise unless he was annoying Krystal or debating a particular point with his mother. That was when Maverick saw the real Eli come out of his shell.

"Did Lee change Jake?" Maddie asked scooping up the now two year old and putting him into his high chair. Immediently a series of no's was heard until Rachael gave him a toy car to play with.

"No, we did," Chelsea answered, "Dad was too busy throwing up."

"Lovely," Maverick grimaced. "What time's the party?"

"Two."

"Think he'll be alive by then?"

"He will if I have anything to do with it," Maddie muttered handing Jake some fingers of toast.

"I'm up okay?" Lee muttered suddenly appearing in the kitchen. "No need to torture me any further." He helped himself to coffee.

"Mate you look terrible," Maverick stated.

"So would you if you felt as bad as I do."

"Self inflicted gets you no sympathy in this house."

"Shut up Madison!" Lee was in no mood for lectures or anything else his sassy friend was going to heap on him.

"Here eat your panadol," She graciously got a box out of the cupboard and put it down in front of him.

Maverick laughed, "You should be grateful, that's more than what I get."

"That's because when you're hung over I have to listen to your whinges twenty four hours a day. At least with him I can shove him in a room and close the door on him." Maddie put out some boxes of breakfast cereal out for the kids.

"She loves me really," Maverick winked at his un-responsive friend. "Wood called and his space shuttle mission is lifting off at 11.30 on Friday. It's being televised by CNN."

Lee nodded while seeking solace in his cup of strong black coffee. "Please tell me I didn't promise to take Chelsea and Darry to some fair today?"

Maddie and Maverick shared an amused look at the pleading tone. "No Sunshine, you aren't," Maverick explained. "But I do believe there is a party here for a two year old this afternoon."

"What fun," Lee said grimacing. "How many?"

"Twelve, plus the twins friends, Chelsea's friend, Eli's friend and Darry's friend. Should be a good day," Maddie stated most unsympathetically.

Lee's stomach was already churning alarmingly at the thought.

"Yeap and the sun is shining so it's going to be a lovely warm day," Maverick couldn't resist adding salt to his partner's already pounding wound.

"Oh what would you know fart brain! If I wasn't a girl I'd punch you!" Chelsea suddenly cried out angrily.

Darry had obviously annoyed her again.

Darry laughed, "You couldn't hit me! Everyone knows you can only hit kids smaller than you and I'm bigger!"

"Oh yeah? You want to see me try?"

"Go on I dare you too." Darry got up from his chair challengingly and Chelsea didn't hesitate to follow.

The adults were too stunned to react and were more curious to see what was going to happen.

Chelsea balled her fist and swung at Darry who only ducked and weaved out of the way, light on his feet. Chelsea thrown off balance lurched and Darry caught her neatly tripping her face first onto the floor where he promptly sat on her.

Maverick leaned back impressed.

"Where the hell did he learn that move?" Maddie asked in surprise.

"Chester Williams showed him," Eli muttered and kept eating his breakfast. Niether him or the twins particularly interested in the ruckus between their older siblings.

"You give?" Darry asked the red faced and indignant Chelsea.

"Yes."

"Good." Darry let her up but not before she swung her leg's and tripped him, sending him flying face first onto the floor right beside her. "Ow! Bitch!"

"Darry!" His mother gasped, surprised.

"Serves you right," Chelsea stated and got up moving back to her seat.

Darry leapt to his feet and made to follow when his father's hand on the back of his T-Shirt stopped him. "Dad!"

"Leave her alone before she does you some serious damage."

"No way! I'm a far better fighter than she is."

"That maybe but the kitchen and breakfast is not the time and place for it. Now have you finished your breakfast?"

"Yeah."

"Good, go on upstairs and get dressed and leave Chelsea alone."

"She started it."

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

Suddenly Lee got to his feet with an almost audible roar, picked up a tea towel and gagged his daughter. "That's better." He sat back down to finish his coffee and pop some more panadol.

Darry was in hysteric's at Chelsea's expression as too were Maddie and Maverick. She spat out the tea towel and scowled at her father but wisely chose not to say anything. Darry beat it upstairs.

Jake squealed in laughter, clapping his hands and kicking his feet. "Telsea! Telsea! Telsea!"

"Shut up Jake!" Chelsea scowled at her little brother but Jake was two, he couldn't be told anything.


	5. Chapter 5

It was nine o'clock and Lee struggled against the wave of weariness as he continued reading the helicopter manual. There had been several on-board problems with the Blackhawk's navigational system and he needed to refresh his memory with the system before talking to their mechanical crew chief.

Lee sighed and sat back in his chair with a yawn as the passage started to swim before his eyes. The day had been long and exciting especially for the kids. Not so great for himself but after copious amounts of water, coffee, tylenol and food he was feeling a million times better, albeit tired.

Suddenly there was a cool breeze and the pages of his manual flicked over so that he lost his place.

"Cut it out Ashley," He snapped out loud without thinking. It was an automatic response when his wife annoyed him. Suddenly his head snapped up in dismay. His wife was dead, had been for six months.

Shaking his head at the response on his part he turned to close the window thinking it was still open. It was shut with curtains drawn.

'_Must have been a draft,'_ Lee thought to himself and turned back to the manual, it took him a couple of minutes to find the page he was on.

As he read on there was a feeling of overwhelming comfort as he remembered how notorious I had been for disturbing his reading. It was a typical thing for me to do and for the first time in six months he didn't feel so alone. Call it a sixth sense or whatever but he knew that he wasn't alone and that his beloved wife was still hanging around.

Lee closed the textbook with a snap and laid it aside, my presence strong in the room.

"Is it really you or am I imagining things?" He asked out loud not daring to get his hopes up but the feeling was so strong he couldn't ignore it. Not one to believe in supernatural phenomenom he accepted things more on face value rather than trying to explain them.

Suddenly the discarded manual flew open and the pages flicked over to the middle. He flicked over a few pages and watched as more flicked over by themselves. It became a game and by the end of it Lee was smiling so hard he thought his face might have cracked. For the first time in months he really started to laugh as he played the silly game with my ghost.

That night he fell into a deep relaxing sleep for the first time since my death, waking up refreshed, comforted and happy. Maddie looked up when he came downstairs carrying a dressed and talkative Jake, twins trailing behind him laughing. Lee was back.

'_Finally you revealed your presence,'_ Maddie muttered very quietly under her breath watching the handsome pilot drop his son in his high chair. The only answer she got was a cool brush across the back of her neck. It was all she needed.

Later that same morning he wasn't feeling so comforted by my presence as he struggled to make the bed before his darling children bounded in and messed it up.

"Oh for christ's sake woman would you stop it?" Lee yelled in frustration as he pulled the sheet up over his bed for the fifth time.

Magically it ballooned and once again settled back down at the bottom of his bed, making him grumble in frustration. My lilting laugh alerted him to my presence.

At that moment Maddie walked into the room with some folded washing. "Morning Lee."

"Morning Maddie, did you know we have a ghost?" Lee muttered abandoning his bed and taking the folded washing from her.

"Yeah, she appeared the other day in my bathroom." Maddie shrugged like it was perfectly normal to live with a ghost.

"Does Maverick know?"

"Sort of but he doesn't really believe it yet. I have no doubt Ashley will change his mind when she's ready." Maddie fininshed separating the last of his clothes from the pile she carried. "When did you find out?"

"Last night, she interrupted my reading."

Maddie nodded and gave him a smile as she started to leave the room. "Well ghost or not, it's good to see you smiling again."

For the sixth time Lee pulled his sheet up only to have it balloon once more and settle back on the end of the bed.

"Alright Ms Smartypants, seeing as how you won't let me make my own bed you do it!" Lee turned away and started to put away the folded clothes Maddie had left. Nothing happened. "I thought so," Lee muttered.

At that moment two black haired little girls hurtled through the door and jumped straight onto the bed. Lee knew then there was no chance of getting his bad made at all.

"Dad! Come on we're late!" The twins begged tugging at his hands pulling him from the room. They only stopped long enough to allow him to scoop up his hat.

Chelsea and Darry were downstairs, dressed for school but standing in opposite corners of the room scowling at each other. Maddie was nearby gathering up paperwork whilst keeping an eye on the errant pair.

"What happened this time?" Lee sighed looking at his daughter who only gave him the same sweet smile his wife used too. Jake tore around the room with some toy playing his own game.

Maddie sighed, "Chelsea tore Darry's shirt so Darry tried to weight her bag down with rocks and throw it in the pool. Luckily I caught it just in time."

"Thanks Maddie. Can we do a swap this morning?"

"Sure who do you want me to drop off?"

"What did you do this time Darry?" Maverick interrupted walking into the room and accurately assessing the scene.

Lee laughed, "I just asked the same thing."

"Nothing," Darry replied sullenly.

"Chelsea tore his shirt so Darry tried to throw her bag in the pool only Mum caught it. You should have seen it Dad! It was cool!" Eli happily informed his father.

"So whose guilty do you think?" Maverick asked knowing the answer would be amusing to them all.

"Don't know yet as I don't have all the facts of the event and arriving as late as I did on the scene its too early to say without prejudicing the case," Eli summed up beautifully and Maddie stood back with a proud smile on her face.

Maverick only grinned knowingly. "Okay so who's taking who this morning?"

"I can drop Jake and the twins off," Maddie said.

"I'll take Chelsea and Eli," Lee added.

"That leaves you and I young man," Maverick said turning to Darry.

Darry only shrugged, picked up his school bag and waited patiently for his Dad to stop kissing his mother goodbye.


	6. Chapter 6

First thing Monday morning Maverick and Lee were on duty and heading for their CO's office. At Jake's party the day before Derrick had suggested they come see him as he had an offer that he thought they might be interested in. The curiosity was killing the pair and it had been a full speed school drop off that morning. While Lee was first to arrive at the compound that morning, he had no doubt Maverick wasn't that far behind him.

"Captain Sanders you have a message from the school," A young staff seargent handed Lee a piece of paper as he left he kitchen, fresh cup of coffee in hand.

"Thanks," Lee muttered sipping his fresh cup of coffee and glancing at the scrawled message. "Wonder what she's done this time?" He muttered to himself.

"Who?" Maverick asked jogging lightly to catch up with his partner. "You want to wait while I get coffee?"

"Go for it," Lee replied leaning back against the wall while he waited for his friend to join him with his own fresh cup. They made their way down to their CO's office.

"Chelsea," Lee showed him the note, "Message to call the school."

"Bugger."

"Yeah you're telling me."

They knocked on their CO's door and walked straight in.

"Ahhh wondering when curiosity would get the better of you two. Have a seat. Great party yesterday by the way, my wife and I had a wonderful time."

"Glad to hear it, what did you want to see us about?" Maverick replied relaxing back in his chair and nursing his coffee.

"Gentlemen, how would you like to return to Miramar still on full flight status?"

"Hey?" Both men cried at the same time as they sat up straighter.

Derrick sighed, "It's not that I want you to go, you're two of my best men, however, Washington has received extra funding and decided to set up a second base for the 160th SOAR. That means the Nightstalkers will be split in two, one section to cover the east coast and one to cover the west coast. The east coast will continue to cover the Atlantic and Mediterannean regions of course, but the west coast will be covering the Pacific and Indian ocean regions. I want you two to head that operation interested?"

"Most definitely," Maverick replied with a quick glance at Lee for confirmation.

"Good. Miramar has gracefully offered us the space in their fighter weapons school which I believe you're both familiar with." Derrick didn't pause in his comments as he already knew their histories. "They are currently undertaking renovations in the building to help accommodate us. You will be responsible for a regiment of thirty teams and crews and while you're in charge you are to maintain your active flight status and cover the required combat missions understood?"

"Yes Sir!" Neither boy could hide the excitement or wipe the eager grin off their faces.

"Orders will still come direct through me as your superior officer. You will also be allocated trainee's every couple of months so I want training schedules built to help the newbies settle in."

"When do we go Derrick?" Lee asked.

"Hopefully one month from today."

"Maddie's going to be so excited it'll take years to get her feet back on the ground," Maverick smiled.

"Right well that is all for now, as I get more information I'll let you know. Captain, you'd better answer that phone before I do."

Lee had his mobile in his hand looking quizzically at the number he didn't recognize. This was the third time it had rung the entire time he'd been in his CO's office.

"It's probably the school. Chelsea's set fire to it or something," Maverick said.

"Problems Captain?" Derrick asked with an inquisitive raised eyebrow.

"My eldest seems to have run off the rails a bit but I only thought the trouble was confined to Darry and home. Guess I could be wrong." Lee pressed the re-dial button for the number. "Yeah this is Captain Lee Sanders…" Lee left the office.

"How's he doing?" Derrick asked quietly.

"Up and down, he's lonely and facing the fact that the girls don't want him anymore because of the kids."

Derrick laughed, "Oh the joys of growing up."

"Yeah something like that although he does seem back to normal this morning."

"Yes I noticed the smile of enthusiasm when he came in. Anything in particular happen at home?"

"Not that I know of, maybe he's just realized enough is enough and decided to move on."

"Think the weekend might have been a bit of a wake up call?"

"Nope, Lee was pretty drunk but it's nothing he's not used too, even when his wife was alive."

"I see." Derrick steepled his fingers thoughtfully. "Well whatever it is let's hope it keeps up."

"Yeah."

"Mav?" Lee stuck his head back into their CO's office. "I gotta take a run out to the school."

"What did she do this time?" Maverick asked and gave Derrick a wave as he followed his partner out the door.

"Super glued her teacher's bottom to the chair."

Maverick couldn't help it he burst into laughter, "Now that's original."

"You want to tell me what's going on in that head of yours?" Lee asked stirring his second cup of coffee for the day and watching his eight year old daughter swirl her milkshake with a straw.

She shrugged and bent her head to take a drink.

The meeting with the principal had not gone well with Chelsea receiving a two day suspension as well as a week of make up classes after school when she returned. For some reason though, the punishment didn't seem to bother her and Lee was at a loss as to what was going on.

"Come on I'm your Dad and if you can't talk to me who can you talk too?"

"Mum."

"Your mother's not here anymore Chels, you know that," Lee answered softly.

"No kidding," She muttered straight back sarcastically.

Lee sighed heavily and looked out the window watching some mother's group stroll by with strollers and snotty nosed toddlers.

"Chelsea I know you miss your Mum, I do too, but the thing is it's just you and I now and we're going to have to work together here."

"No kidding," Chelsea replied a second time rolling her eyes and Lee fought the impulse to slap her. "Guess that means I'm back on babysitting duty when you can't be bothered."

"Is that the problem? You think you have to babysit all the time?"

"Amongst other things," Chelsea shrugged and sucked up some more milkshake.

"Like what?"

Chelsea went quiet.

"Chels if you want things to get better at home, school or where ever you're going to have to talk to me. If you don't talk to me then I can't help you."

Chelsea sighed heavily and looked at her father, "You're always making me babysit the twins while you look after Jake. Why can't I look after Jake? I can you know, Mum used to let me all the time."

"I didn't know that."

"Well of course you wouldn't, you're never home!"

"Okay, valid point even though you know its part of my job, what else?"

"I hate Darry, he's mean and I'm sick of him thinking I'm just an idiot."

"I'll have a chat to Maverick and Maddie and see what we can do."

"Don't bother, he'll only act all nice when they're around and then start picking on me once they're gone."

"What do you want me to do then?"

"Throw him in the brig," Chelsea giggled at the picture it created.

"No can do Sweetheart, he hasn't committed a crime against Navy property or personnel."

"Sure he has, he was born wasn't he?"

"Chels, that's not a good enough reason."

Chelsea shrugged, "Oh well, worth a try. Dad, I want Mum to come back and everything to go back to the way it was. She loved me and was always there but now it's like no one cares for me anymore."

"What about Maddie?"

"Eli, Darry and the twins have her all tied up and there's never anything left for me."

"Have you told her how you feel?" Chelsea shook her head. "Well maybe you should. If Maddie knew how you felt I'm quite sure she'd make time for you."

"It's not that Dad, it's just, Mum was like my best friend and she was always there no matter what. It was like I had my own grown up all to myself and she always found time to listen to my troubles or help with homework and reading."

"I can do that."

"You're never home! You're always away on a mission and I can't even call you."

Lee was surprised to see the tears start. "Oh Honey, of course you can call me, anytime day or night. The army provides a number for families to ring if they need to talk and I'm quite sure they won't mind you calling me."

"What if you're flying or something?"

"Then you have to wait until I can call you back and I will."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"I still miss Mum, really really badly."

"Come here." Lee held out his arm to the girl and she slipped out of her booth and onto the seat beside him for a cuddle. "I miss her too Honey but I tell you what, on the weekend, how about we fly back to Miramar and say hi to her."

"How?" Chelsea looked up at him with tears flowing down her cheeks. "You're back on call and I won't see you!"

"I'll organize with the CO to have the weekend off just for you. We'll go out and visit her grave and leave her some flowers, you can talk to her there because it's the place that ties her to us."

"Oh okay, that'd be nice."

"We can visit Uncle Tom and Karen too."

"Sounds alright," Chelsea shrugged in acceptance. She'd learn't a long time ago not to get her hopes up when it came to doing things with her father. Often he'd get called away on a mission at the last minute. Ever since her mother's death Chelsea had been gradually realizing just how much time her father was gone and how unreliable he was when it came to doing things with her. She was starting to really hate it and hate Fort Campbell and it's stupid Nightstalkers. Why her father couldn't just go back to teaching at Top Gun she didn't know. Maddie had tried to explain the reasons but Chelsea had only thought them selfish on her father's part and consequently her opinion of him had sunk lower driving a small crack between them.


	7. Chapter 7

"So what's the verdict?" Maverick asked when he arrived home at a decent hour with five kids.

"Two day suspension and a week of make up classes after school," Lee replied hugging his girls and unloading some of the bags from his partner's shoulders.

"Now I know why Maddie only picks the kids up when she absolutely has too," Maverick stated dropping Jake's bag on the floor. He handed the chatting two year old over to his father and hung his hat up. Lee set the monster on the floor and watched him run over to his toy fire truck.

"Telsea! Telsea! Come see!" Jake cried carrying the fire truck past the two men and up the stairs towards his sister's room.

"That'll make her happy I'm sure," Maverick laughed and walked through to the kitchen in dire need of coffee. "Did you talk to her?"

"Yeah, she misses Ashley and feels quite lonely without her around."

"That's no reason to act up like this."

"Well, there's more to it than that. Darry's enemy number one and I suspect there's a lot of anger there that she doesn't know what to do about. Add to that no one has time for her-."

"What about Maddie?"

"Mate come on! Maddie's got enough on her plate with your two, my twins and a toddler and she barely has time left for you. Besides, Chelsea doesn't want to take Maddie away from what she's doing."

"Your daughter's sense of dealing with everything on her own is scary."

Lee couldn't help but laugh, "Yeah I know."

"So what are you going to do?"

"Well I'm taking her back to Miramar this weekend to see Ashley's grave but I was thinking of sending her to Mum's for awhile. She loves her Gran and Aunty Mon and they love to spoil her rotten and there's no other kids to compete with and she'll have a grown up all to herself."

"Great, she'll come back a drama queen, spoilt rotten and over-indulged."

"Come on Mav, they aren't that bad. Mum will see that she doesn't go that way."

"What about the farm? Have you thought of sending her there?"

"An eight year old with all those men? Uh-uh."

"You know Brian and his new wife will take excellent care of her."

"I know but I don't feel right about it."

"Think of it like this, the farm's hard work and she'll never be on her own. Someone always turns up somewhere. It might help break that restless spirit out of her a bit. Better yet why don't we ask her what she'd like to do?"

"I already know the answer to that one, put her life back the way it was when Ash was alive and I was senior instructor at Miramar."

"It can't happen."

"Yeah that's what I said but that's what she misses most of all."

"Lee, take her back to Miramar, visit Ash's grave then take her to the farm from there. Let her stay a couple of days, if she hates it she can come home but I think it might help the two of you to spend some time together."

"When do we go back on duty?"

"Friday Night but I think one of the other's could cover you for the weekend or maybe Derrick might let us stay off call until Monday morning."

"Now I know your wife's going to love that idea."

"What idea's that?" Maddie appeared in the kitchen by magic, all neatly dressed in her suit for the day and looking tired. "Oh my aching feet."

"Long day?" Maverick asked drawing her into his arms for a hug and a kiss.

"You've got no idea but they wrapped the case up early and if the jury doesn't come back in in the next two hours, I'll be a happy little lady. Hi Lee."

"Hi Maddie."

"Why the not so happy expression?" Maddie eased her sore feet out of the heels she wore and pulled the pins from her hair letting it tumble down around her shoulders.

"We were just discussing what to do with Chelsea."

"Why what's she done?"

"Got herself a two day suspension for super gluing her teacher's butt to the chair."

"That's original," Maddie smiled unperturbed.

"Dad! Dad! Come and see what we made!" Two black haired twins came running in and clutched at Lee's hands dragging him reluctantly from the kitchen.

"You want to explain what we were talking about Mav?"

"Yeah no problem."

Maverick shook his head laughing as his partner was dragged unresistingly from the room to check out his twin daughters latest creation.

Lee scooped up Jake on the way and swung him up on his shoulders making the two year old laugh in glee. Lee wasn't laughing when he grabbed a fistful of short hair and pulled, hard.

Friday morning found the boys in a ready room on base, nursing cups of coffee and waiting for the space shuttle launch to start. The network covering the launch had already done stories on each of the pilot's and their lives including Hollywood and his wife, Micheala.

Finally the pilots were led into the space shuttle and rocket engines fired up. The countdown had begun and they watched in excitement for their friend as the cumbersome vehicle lifted off from the ground. The platform fell away and the smoke billowed up and around everything as the giant bird rose gracefully into the sky.

"Go Hollywood!" Maverick breathed softly almost in awe of their friend as the shuttle started to arc getting ready to jettison its fuel tanks.

Lee smiled deeply and the two friends shared a knowing look of envy as the shuttle exploded.

Their smiles were quickly extinguished as they looked at the screen not quite believing their eyes. There were gasps and cries of shock from the reporters and on-lookers and even the announcer struggled to cope with what had just occurred.

"If this is a trick it isn't funny," Lee muttered. It was so sudden it was hard to comprehend it had actually happened.

"I don't think it was a trick," Maverick stated stunned as his mobile rang and he answered it operating on auto pilot.  
>It was the picture of the wives and children being quickly ushered off their VIP viewing platform by NASA officials that brought home the reality of the disaster. They had just witnessed the death of their good friend and fellow pilot, Hollywood.<p>

"Yes?" Maverick eventually spoke into his phone as the voice on the other end triggered off a need to say something. The TV network started a replay of the explosion and both he and Lee watched it again and again, unable to move. "Yeah I saw…I don't know…..You can try but I don't know if you'll get through and she mightn't be in any condition to talk…Look I'll see you tonight."

Lee looked at him curiously as he hung up abruptly.

"Maddie, she was watching the launch from her office, she's going to try and ring Michaela."

"Christ! Why is it all the good one's die?" Lee muttered laying his head down on the table they were sitting at. "First Ashley and now Wood, whose next?"

"I don't know mate-." He was cut off as his mobile rang again shortly followed by Lee's.

For the next half hour as they watched re-runs of the space shuttle explosion still not really believing their eyes, they took calls from their friends as everyone rang everyone in disbelief. _'Did you see what happened? Do you think Wood's alright? Can't believe he's gone? What's going to happen to Michaela?'_

Suddenly there was a knock on the briefing room door and one of their crew members stuck his head in. Both Maverick and Lee looked at him, faces drained, mobile's held to their ears.

"Found them!" Fingers yelled down the corridor to an unknown person. "What are you doing in here? We got a supply run to do."

"Sorry Fingers," Maverick hung up and gestured towards the TV and another re-run of the explosion. "Space shuttle exploded, a good friend of ours was piloting."

"Oh geez!" Fingers stood there in stunned fascination watching the screen.

For the next two hours Fort Campbell seemed to grind to a halt as more and more people became aware of the space shuttle explosion. The various wives banded together where they could, TV's on in every house as they ran the event over and over.

A half hour after the explosion, NASA issued the statement that all seven on board the shuttle had died, most likely killed instantly. NASA would undertake every effort to ensure the bodies were recovered and returned to grieving families.

Once again Lee's mobile rang and he glanced at the display not recognizing his own home number. "Hello?"

"Dad?"

"Chels! What's up Honey?"

"Are we still going to see Mum's grave this weekend?"

"Of course we are, why do you ask?"

"I thought with Uncle Rick dying you mightn't want to go?"

Lee smiled a little bit at the underlying hope in her voice. "We're still going to go Sweetheart and while we're there we'll say a prayer for Hollywood and the other space shuttle crew. How did you know about it anyway?"

"I told my teacher I knew someone who was flying the space shuttle. When she asked who and I said it was the pilot she said we should watch the launch."

"So where are you now?"

"At home, they closed the school for the rest of the day."

"You aren't home on your own are you?" Lee's mind was slowly moving away from the tragedy and re-focusing on every day life.

"Not really"

"Not really?"

"Uh-huh, Mrs Ryder from across the road comes over every fifteen minutes to check up on me."

"Okay, good, well you sit tight and I'll be home in a little bit."

"Okay Dad."

Lee closed the phone with a snap, "Chelsea's at home, they've closed the school."

"By herself?" Maverick asked alarmed.

"No Felicity Rider's keeping an eye on her."

"Is Darry there too?"

"Chels didn't say."

"I'll give Maddie a ring and see if she can get away."

"I've got to head off in an hour anyway so we can make the transport to Miramar."

"Captain's if you need to be somewhere else to look after your children by all means go. You aren't much use to me or your crews given what has happened." Derrick suddenly entered the room.

"What's happening with the on-call teams over the weekend Derrick?" Maverick asked.

"Seeing as how Captain Sanders here is off call and way out of the ten k on call radius, you can both take a couple of extra days."

"Thanks Derrick, its appreciated," Maverick stated getting to his feet.


	8. Chapter 8

The weekend had been long and exhausting but the smile on his daughter's face, as she leant against him sleeping, on the flight home, was worth it. Even Lee had to smile remembering the shared curiosity when they got to Ashley's grave only to find it covered in her favourite flowers, White Roses and Lillies. Obviously someone was looking after it and Lee could only assume it was probably Karen, his previous Commanding Officer's wife.

Chelsea had also asked a lot of questions then, wanting to know what would happen to them all if and when they died. Lee had patiently explained it was up to the individual and what they wanted but in regards to himself and Maverick, they'd have a choice. The choice was being buried in Arlington, the national cemetery for those having served the county or a place of his and his family's choosing. His remains may even be returned to Australia for burial there. Naturally this alarmed Chelsea and Lee worked hard to reassure her he'd left specific instruction that if anything was to happen to him, he'd be buried with his beloved Ashley. It was then that Chelsea adamantly stated she wanted to be buried with her Mum and made Lee promise faithfully to make it happen. Lee did even though, fingers crossed, he was sure nothing would happen to her anytime soon.

After the cemetery he took her on base to say hi to her Uncle Tom 'Iceman' and also Tom and Karen Crofts, his former Commanding Officer and wife. Karen welcomed them with open arms insisting they stay for dinner. After dinner they'd gone to the Oceanside house and of course Chelsea vanished across the road visiting the two girls that used to babysit her, Bec and Allison. Lee dragged a very reluctant girl home at midnight as they were leaving early the next day for Maverick's ranch.

Two days of being surrounded by horses, cattle and cowboys, not to mention a flirtatious Guthrie, who was sounding more and more like his elder brother everyday, had been exhausting. Chelsea loved the riding and helping out which brought a smile to her face that Lee hadn't seen since just before my death. Brian's new wife, Cathy, spoilt her rotten and they got along great but watching closely, Lee could see a reservation within Chelsea. The large boisterous noisy family was overwhelming which helped make up his mind as to what to do with her.

But like all good things the two days were over quickly and before long Brian was driving them into Stockton to pick up a commercial flight home to Fort Campbell. The wheels of the plane had barely left the ground when Chelsea put her small hand over his, to stop his fidgeting, he was a lousy passenger on a commercial flight unless he was drunk, and promptly fell asleep.

Lee watched out the window of the cab as it drove down the dark windy street to their standard base house. Even though it was close to midnight there seemed to be lots of lights on in the neighbouring houses.

Lee paid the cab driver and scooped his tired daughter up in his arms, carrying her up the front walk. He hit the bell with his elbow hoping Maverick or Maddie were still up. He was quite surprised when Hollywood's old partner, Cowboy answered.

"Hey Lee, what did you do to her? Drug her?"

Lee shook his head with a smile, "Nope, wore her out on good old fashioned country air. What are you doing here? Thought I wouldn't see you till the funeral."

"Micheala needed to get out, the reporters were just too much for her."

"How is she?"

"Bad."

"Know the feeling. I'll just put her too bed and be right back." Lee adjusted Chelsea's small weight and carried her up the stairs. He was back two seconds later accepting a hot cup of coffee from his friend. "Where's Mav?"

"He and Maddie went to bed hours ago."

"Uh-huh, so where is she?" Lee looked around for the pretty Micheala.

"In the living room sobbing her heart out, I'm not game enough to leave her alone. The reporter's have been camped out on her front lawn since the explosion and no matter where she goes they show up or follow her. NASA's been great providing her with whatever she needs but she can't stay locked in the house forever. They also won't release Wood's body."

"Why not?"

Cowboy shrugged, "Don't know but I rang Cougar at the Pentagon and he looked into it for her. Apparently they haven't recovered all the bodies yet and don't want to release any of them until all seven astronauts have been found."

Lee nodded thoughtfully feeling a familiar pain in his chest as he remembered those couple of days after my own death. He walked to the doorway and looked in on the small fragile creature curled up in a ball, weeping. A sodden tissue clutched in her fists, tears flowing like a leaky tap that would never be turned off. "Has she slept at all since the explosion?"

"No," Cowboy shook his head. I got to her about six that night and I don't think she's stopped ever since."

"Where are the kids?"

"Upstairs asleep, Ricky's struggling to cope with it all seeing as how Hollywood told him flying a space shuttle was safer than walking."

Lee pulled a face, "Good one Wood."

"Yeah that's what I thought too, still you don't expect this to happen. The thing with Rick and Micheala is they've always depended so heavily on one another."

"I know. Ashley called them the true meaning of love or love personified. They sure as hell were close. You had any sleep?" Lee finished his cup and turned away from the sorry sight of his friend's wife as he washed it up at the sink.

"A couple of hours here and there."

"Go get some sleep, I'm sure Maddie's got you a bed organized upstairs, I can look after Micheala."

"You sure?"

"Yeah go. Do me good to talk to a female for a change."

Suddenly his favourite coffee cup seemed to jump off the bench and onto the floor where it shattered. Both men looked at it mystified as to how it happened when Lee remembered their ghost and who it was. Smiling grimly he moved to the cupboard for a dust pan and broom so he could sweep up the mess. "Must be tireder than I thought."

"Must be," Cowboy smiled at him, "Sure you don't want to get some sleep yourself."

"Nope." Just quietly he thought, _'Torture will do his pesky ghost some good too.'_

_Why am I not surprised?'_ Maverick asked himself when he walked past the living room early the next morning. Obviously Lee's old ways hadn't disappeared as much as he first thought.

The lights were still burning brightly which had caught his attention. Going in to turn them off, he discovered his partner cuddled up next to an exhausted Michaela, a light throw rug tossed over both of them.

Briefly he wondered how his partner's weekend at the ranch went as he set about getting coffee ready. The water was boiling as Cowboy wandered in half asleep.

"Morning," Cowboy grinned sheepishly at his friend. "Guess I overslept or something."

"Why do you say that? It's only six."

"Oh I was planning to get up at five to check on Michaela. Speaking of which it's awfully quiet."

"Yeah, she's in the living room cuddled up with Lee."

Cowboy's look and eye roll said it all which only set Maverick off chuckling. "I know, I know, old habits die hard but I don't think he's doing it for that reason. He's just lonely and misses having someone to take care of."

"Well she certainly could use a shoulder to lean on but she won't, she's too scared."

"What is her history anyway? I've never known anyone to avoid men the way she does," Maverick leant back against the bench. He was in sweats ready for a run but so far hadn't got out the door.

"Severely abused when she was young by a crack addicted father. Hollywood got them out of there with new identities and promised to look after her. She's never been able to trust any male after that."

"She trusts you?"

"Yeah but that's because Hollywood told her she could. She's alright around us and that but put her in a room full of strange men and she just goes to pieces."

"What's going to happen to her now that Hollywood's gone?"

"She has to leave the house they've given her of course and move off base into the real world."

"But?"

"But I'll probably take her and the children with me."

"Generous of you to offer."

"Yeah well, I promised Wood I would and it's not like I've got a wife or family of my own to take care of."

"How old were they when they got away from the life of abuse?"

"Wood was seventeen and Michaela was fifteen. Michaela had a ten year old sister but she died and they had to leave her behind. It was a horrible time for them apparently."

"Sounds it, what about Hollywood's family?"

"His mother was a drunk and didn't care much for him unless he got her money. Wood was working at the age of fourteen on the fishing trawlers trying to save enough for a passage for him, Michaela and Melanie but his mother would steal the money and drink it away."

"Nice mother."

"Yeah, after they left they met up with a Navy SEAL and he got them new identities and Hollywood into the navy. It was when he qualified for Top Gun that Melanie's body was found and an extradition order served on both of them to return to Australia and testify. Michaela's prints were on the knife with the body so they thought she had done it. Michaela went back and testified and her father was arrested. During the trial Hollywood discovered he had an Uncle who had been looking for him. So Michaela's got some family but how they're going to feel about her now that Wood's gone remains to be seen."

"They're coming for the funeral?"

"Yeah, like the rest of us, they're just waiting on word as to when that will be."

"So the life of abuse is the reason why she's always in long sleeves and things no matter how hot it gets?"

"Yeah, her wrists and ankles are deeply scarred and she's got cuts and scars all over the place. If you ever see them don't say a word, she's scarred pretty good emotionally and they tend to trigger it off. I said something once, jokingly and it took Hollywood hours to calm her down afterwards."

"I'll warn Lee."

"Good idea she's pretty sensitive."


	9. Chapter 9

While the two friends chatted in the kitchen, Lee was slowly waking up. His arm tingled alarmingly with pins and needles and for a moment or two he enjoyed the rare feeling. It meant someone was back in his arms again and that was surprisingly comforting.

It didn't take him long to remember who and smiled at the sight of the emotionally exhausted girl who had been so desperate the night before for someone to hold her.

Sliding his arm and shoulder out from under her head, he turned stiffly only to fall off the lounge. Picking himself up he stretched and headed into the kitchen for coffee to wake himself up with.

"Morning," Lee greeted Maverick and Cowboy.

"Hey Lee, how'd you manage to get her to stop crying?"

Lee made his coffee and sipped it gratefully. "Gave her what she needed I guess," He shrugged, "A shoulder to cry on and someone to hold her."

"You're lucky she doesn't normally let just anyone do that."

"Cowboy was telling me she only trusts Hollywood most days," Maverick pointed out.

"I guess I didn't give her much choice there. She barely noticed me when I lay down beside her and pulled her into my arms."

Cowboy nodded thoughtfully, "Death does funny things to people I guess."

"How true," Maverick stated looking at Lee knowingly. "It even makes people see ghosts."

Cowboy laughed uproariously, "Ghosts hey? That's a good one you could blame on the TV."

"Not funny Mitchell," Lee muttered glaring at his friend. "Are you going for your run or do I come with you and kick you all the way?"

"I'm going." Maverick darted out the back door into the cool morning air.

Lee only shook his head and headed upstairs to change into his own sweats and join his partner. A run was just what he needed.

Lee ran upstairs two at a time to change into sweats and join him but when he went to open his wardrobe robe he struck problems. The cupboard refused to open. Thinking the doors was sticking, Lee tugged and tugged until the handle came off in his hand and a faint laugh was heard in the room.

"Ashley!" Lee groaned and tossed the cupboard handle down on a nearby table. "This is silly! You have no reason to be jealous, it's Michaela for goodness sake. Hollywood's dead and she needed comforting." He tried the other cupboard door but still it didn't budge. "Ashley!" He glared at the offending cupboard and took a deep breath counting to ten slowly. "Alright have it your way but I have to get ready for work in half an hour and if this cupboard doesn't open by then I'm calling Ghostbusters!" The cupboard doors flew open nearly hitting him in the face. "Thank you!"

Five minutes later he caught up to Maverick and the two were off in their usual challenging race to beat each others.

Maverick was whistling a merry tune as he rode the lift up to the second floor where his wife's office was located. The door was shut and locked when he got there but that was only a small barrier as he deftly picked the lock and let himself in.

It was ten minutes to go until lunch and no doubt that the court would be adjourning shortly for it. So, Maverick made himself comfortable in his wife's leather chair, feet up on the desk and proceeded to doze until he heard the click of the lock.

Maddie was on the phone not really looking where she was going when two arms circled her waist, making her scream something shocking. Both Maverick and the caller's ear drums threatened to explode at the unexpected sound.

Apoligising to whoever she was talking too, she whirled on her feet to see her husband grinning like mad. Glaring, Maddie walked over to a bookshelf where her law books were kept, slid one out and threw it at him. Maverick ducked laughing as he came closer to her. She threw another book at him which he only ducked. Eventually she close the phone up just as he took a step in front of her.

"You scared me!" She accused him much to his amusement. "What are you doing here?"

"Come to see you of course." He stepped closer and Maddie found herself pressed up against the bookcase, Maverick's body affectively trapping her.

"Aren't you back on duty? Don't you have a mission or something to go too?" Maddie quickly ducked out from under his arm.

"Nope." He followed her around behind her desk, his intentions becoming clear.

"Maverick."

"What?"

"Why are you here?"

"I wanted to see you." He fell gracefully into her chair effectively catching the hem of her suit jacket. Maddie felt the tug, slipped its two buttons undone and felt it slide from her shoulders as her husband pulled harder.

"Well that's one less piece of clothing I have to worry about," Maverick stated amused and watching his wife put her desk between them. He tossed the jacket aside and picked up her container of paperclips.

"Maverick don't!" She reached across the desk and tried to snatch the container back off him.

"Uh uh ahhhh! No you don't but you can keep coming closer if you like." Maverick's pointed gaze fell straight on the cleavage revealed by her gaping shirt. "Mmmm light pink today, did I tell you that's my favourite?" He mischievously hinted at her underwear.

"Yes now give me back my paperclips."

"Why? Are you afraid I might do this?" He sat the container in his lap and started joining the clips together in one long chain.

Maddie sighed determinedly and walked around her desk so that she now stood in front of her annoying husband. "Maverick?"

"Yes Maddie?" He looked up into her eyes smiling happily.

"What do you want?"

"If you're trying to distract me with conversation it's not working."

"It's not huh?"

"Nope." He continued on his quest of joining paperclips together.

"Well then, maybe this will." Maddie started unbuttoning her shirt slowly.

Maverick laughed, "It's helping."

"Only helping?" She asked eyebrow raised questioningly as she undid the last button and let the shirt fall back from her shoulders, clutching it around her hiding the objects of his desire.

"Keep going, you're getting boring in your old age," Maverick insisted his eyes dancing in merriment.

"I have a better idea, I'll do my shirt back up until you stop playing with my paper clips."

"Ahhhhhhh you're a cruel woman Madison Mitchell. Okay, all done." He let the chain drop back into the container just as Maddie slipped her shirt back up and started doing up the buttons.

Sliding the container of clips back onto her desk with one hand he trapped her hands with his other so she couldn't do anymore. As he leaned back in her chair he tugged her in close so she tumbled down onto his knee. From there he moved quickly pushing the blouse back off her shoulders and kissing her gently as he did so. Maddie couldn't help but groan as excitement flooded through her veins like liquid fire. The zipper on her skirt slid down and she stood up so Maverick could tug it free from her body. This time when she sat down, she straddled him, hands busy undoing his own shirt buttons and slipping her hands inside to feel the warm muscled skin. Maverick stood up, picking her up with him and laying her back on the desk, his mouth moving to the sensitive areas of her throat that he knew she liked.

"Maverick?" Maddie gasped.

"Mmmmmmm?"

"Why are you here?"

"We're moving back to Miramar."

"We are?"

"Yes."

"Oh thank god!" She gasped in happiness as his fingers found more sensitive places that he really shouldn't have known about. "Hang on, how long have you known this?"

"Does it matter?" Maverick asked huskily kissing her but her response was waning. _'Okay time to take things to a higher level,'_ Maverick smiled to himself.

"How long Maverick?" Her tone was hard and her hands were starting to block his. _'This is not a good sign.'_

"A week," He admitted unable to lie. He'd never been able to lie to his wife and sometimes it frustrated the hell out of him especially during times like right now.

"A whole week and you didn't tell me?" Maddie suddenly sat up pushing him a step backwards.

Maverick hung his head in shame trying to get past the anger and back to what he had been doing. "Yes, I'm sorry, forgive me?" He reached out stroking the tender part of her neck that never failed him.

"No." Maddie retrieved her clothing and started putting it back on.

Maverick sighed heavily, "Come on Maddie, I couldn't tell you, not until things were official."

"You're lying!"

"Honey, honey, honey," He reached out to pull her down onto his knee.

"Don't you honey me Adam Mitchell!" She pulled away out of his reach and zipped up her skirt.

'_Uh-oh now she is mad. Bugger!'_ Maverick groaned. Whatever desire he had left after their abrupt end was now toast just by the use of his full name and tone of voice. He sighed, "Alright, I'm sorry for not telling you sooner. The time just never seemed right."

"That's a pathetic excuse. You know how much I love Miramar and you didn't say a word."

"I'm sorry?" He offered hopefully not knowing what else to do or say.

"Yeah so am I, now go back and play with your helicopters or something, I have work to do." She stood at the door holding it open waiting for him to leave, her message loud and clear.

"I'll see you tonight?" He asked her stopping right in front of her and trying to kiss her. It didn't work, she turned her head away.

"If you're lucky, goodbye Maverick."

Maverick gave up and walked from the room listening to the door close with a resounding slap behind him. He heard her turn the lock and lock him out so he couldn't go back for more harassment. Mind you a locked door was only a minor problem and she knew that. Still, if he wanted to sleep in his own bed tonight he was better off leaving her alone to calm down.

'_Hmmm what would Lee do in this situation?'_ He pulled his phone out and dialed his partner's number. "Hey Casanova, what do you do when you're wife's really pissed off?...I tried she put a stop to that mighty quick….Yeah its an unusual situation for me, this used to only happen with you and Ashley…." Maverick laughed at his partner's response as the lift dinged and the doors open. "Mate thanks you've given me an idea." Maverick hung up the phone a smile of relief and excitement tickling his features.


	10. Chapter 10

"Mum!" Melanie screamed two weeks later.

"What?" Michaela snapped tiredly and completely fed up with the three letter word.

Melanie and Chelsea thudded down the stairs into view.

"Chelsea's got a dance on Friday and she's got nothing to wear except boys stuff, can we take her shopping?"

Michaela sighed and put aside the shopping list she was making to help Maddie out as a thank you for letting them stay. Cowboy was outside kicking a football around with Darry while the twins, Eli and Jake tried to steal it.

"How about I take a look in her cupboard? I reckon I could easily find something pretty for her to wear." Michaela got to her feet and traipsed upstairs with the two girls following quietly.

Michaela was surprised when she saw Chelsea's room. There was no girly pink's for this girl obviously and in fact a lot of the furniture looked like hand me down's from Darry and Eli. Still it wasn't her place to pass comment as she strode over to the cupboard and opened the doors.

'_Melanie was right,'_ Michaela thought to herself. There were no pretty dresses, funky skirts, jeans or brightly coloured tops. Most of the stuff was plain, ordinary and many had seen better days.

"Honey, does anyone buy you anything to wear?"

"Maddie will when she's got time." Chelsea shrugged. "Mostly I just get the boys stuff and Maddie doctors them so they don't look too boyish."

"Yeap that explains it," Michaela put back a pair of brown cargo pants that had had some sort of patch removed. She spied some pretty dresses and things tucked away in the corner of the closet. "What about these?"

"They don't fit me anymore, they're too tight or short. They're for the twins but their too big for them." Chelsea stated sadly. "Mum bought them ages ago."

"Honey, how would you like a pretty new dress for your dance?"

Chelsea's eyes lit up. "Could I?"

"You bet. Tomorrow after school I'll pick you up and take you shopping, the twins too. I have an odd feeling their wardrobe probably hasn't faired much better."

"They're alright they get all the stuff Mum bought me. Mum used to buy us things all the time but since she died no one can be bothered I guess." Chelsea shrugged in acceptance.

"Well I can be bothered and it's okay to miss your Mum too. I miss my sister."

"What sister?"

"Mum had a younger sister called Melanie, that's who I'm named after."

"Yes you are," Michaela hugged her daughter. "My sister died when I was fifteen. She never got the chance to really see the world and even though she was younger than me I miss her heaps."

"I wish Mum would come back, Dad was really happy then."

"Sweetheart, give it time. Your Dad loved your Mum dearly and that's not an easy thing to get over quickly. When you get older you'll understand a whole lot more."

"I understand that I loved my Mum too and it's hard to smile when she's not around. Jake misses her."

"Honey, Jake is only a baby, he doesn't really understand."

"Yes he does. He keeps looking at me and saying Mum. I really wish she was here and that Dad would stay home more so we could be a real family again. It's not the same with Maddie and Maverick because they don't really care."

"Of course they care Chelsea. They care very much-"

"No they don't. I bet if I asked Maddie to drop me off at the dance she wouldn't do it, I'll probably have to walk or something."

"Chelsea I will drop you off at the dance okay? And how would you like it if Melanie went with you, then she could meet all your friends."

"That'd be cool, you want to go Mel?"

"Yeah."

"Cooollll!"

That evening Michaela sat out the back watching the sunset and thinking about Lee and his family. Men sure did handle things differently to women. Lee had buried himself in his work, letting it carry him all over the place for months at a time and avoiding his family and responsibilities. How that man could seriously expect his friends to take up the slack from his own absences she didn't know but if it was her, she certainly wouldn't stand for it. "Lee Sanders you have a lot to answer for," Michaela muttered out loud.

"Who has a lot to answer for?" Maddie asked suddenly appearing out of nowhere. She slid into the sun lounger beside Michaela's and wrapped Maverick's flight jacket around her tighter.

"Lee."

"Why? What's he done this time?"

"Have you seen Chelsea's room and what she wears? It's terrible and the fact that he doesn't care how his daughter looks is worse."

"That's not Lee's fault, it's mine," Maddie murmured softly. "I just don't have the time to take the girl shopping so I give her Darry's stuff until we can go shopping."

"Oh Maddie, I certainly didn't mean to lay blame on you and it's not your fault at all, you aren't her father, he is!"

"If you're going to do battle with Lee in his current state of mind? Good luck." Maddie looked at the pretty blonde surprised.

"And what about my state of mind? Has everyone forgotten I've just lost my husband and best friend too?"

"I'm sorry I didn't mean that. Things are tough around here with me on my own looking after all these dammed kids and those two gone at all hours for god knows how long."

"And that is exactly why I'm angry at Lee! His children need him but instead he's off gallivanting around the world because he wants to be the child and keep flying. He can't keep doing that! His family need him here. Expecting you to do everything for them is just plain rude and unfair, in my opinion. I know he loves his flying but seriously he doesn't have a wife now so it should be taking a back seat. Do you think he'd mind if I took Chelsea shopping?"

"Not at all, do you want his Credit Card?" Maddie smiled thinking how much Michaela was sounding more like herself when she was fed up. "It's unlimited."

"Definitely, that little girl is going to start being a little girl."

"What were you thinking of doing?" Maddie asked curiously.

"New furniture for a start."

"You know something I might close the office early tomorrow and come with you."

"That would be nice, I'd like the help. I promised the girls I'd take them shopping for the dance after school tomorrow but we can do the furniture shopping before I have to pick them up. I think it would help me take my mind off Bryce's death."

"Bryce?"

"Sorry Rick, I meant to say."

"Was Bryce an ex-boyfriend or something?"

"Yeah one could say that." Michaela didn't say anything else and let the conversation hang in the air.

"You know something, I've just had a thought." Maddie got to her feet following her friend inside. "A friend of ours back in Miramar wrote to me about doing an internship with me over the summer. She used to help babysit the kids and Chelsea adored her. I might give her a call and she can stay with us and help out with Lee's children. That'd take the pressure off me. Plus when we move back at the end of the summer she can come with us."

"You're moving back?"

"Yeah Maverick told me the other day but it's not for awhile as the Army's still talking to the Navy and getting things set up."

"In the meantime Lee still gets to play like a child."

"Oh Michaela, I know that and you know that but until he realizes it himself it's going to keep on happening. Besides it doesn't help his partner's just as bad and if Maverick was flying and he wasn't, there'd be all sorts of trouble."

"I don't know, I don't live with them but I'll take your word for it. Give your friend a call. I'll help where I can while I'm here but as soon as they release Rick's body, I'll be going home."

"What are you going to do when you go home?"

"Not sure yet, Cowboy's offered for me and the kids to live with him but I don't know, it just doesn't feel right. I have to move out of the house so I'm thinking of getting one in suburbia and being an ordinary single Mum. Mind you I'm scared to be on my own, I've always had Bryce around and now that he's gone, I'm terrified."

"There you go again mentioning that Bryce person," Maddie said in a hinting tone. Obviously there was something more to this girls past than what they knew.

"Did I?" She smiled weakly, "Old habits die hard I guess. It was Rick's middle name and I often called him by it."

Maddie nodded appearing to accept the explanation.


	11. Chapter 11

It was six am on Friday when the boys unlocked the front door, letting themselves into the quiet house. They were exhausted but relieved the mission had only lasted a couple of days.

"You smell that?" Maverick asked his friend.

"Mmmm coffee, real coffee."

"Someone's up."

The two boys walked through to the kitchen where the coffee percolator was sitting bubbling away on the stove. They could hear the washing machine going and someone humming to themselves in the laundry when they appeared and squealed in surprise.

"Oh you guys scared me! We weren't expecting you back so soon."

"Rebecca! What are you doing here?" Maverick asked curiously and briefly wondering if he was dreaming.

"I'm doing an internship with Maddie and helping out with your children." She poked her finger in Lee's direction. "Something you should be doing."

"I'm way too tired for this," Lee muttered, "Save the lectures Bec, I'm not interested." Lee turned and left the kitchen, heading upstairs for a shower. He'd dearly love to go to sleep but as soon as his kids found out he was home, it wouldn't happen.

"You will be!" Rebecca yelled after him.

As he walked past Jake's room he could already hear the two year old rattling the rails and starting to chatter away.

The water was warm as he let the spray wash down over him washing away dirt, sweat and bone melting weariness. He shook himself a little as he felt a couple of muscles protest stiffly.

As he turned and let the warm water sluice down over his well-toned chest and shoulders he jumped when it went cold. _'Oh don't tell me,'_ He groaned to himself and turned the hot tap a little more. The warmth was back and just as he started to enjoy it when it turned cold yet again. This happened four more times and the tap was out as far as it would go when he realized what was going on. _'Ashley! I might have known,'_ He groaned to himself quietly.

"Alright girl, you've had your fun now knock it off! I am not in the mood!"

The hot water came back on with a blast practically scalding the worn out pilot. Lee yelped jumping back and quickly turning the tap. "Thanks Brat!" The water turned instantly cold again. "Oh alright! I'm sorry! Now can I have my hot water back?" It came back on followed by a quiet giggle.

"Hi Dad!" Chelsea greeted her father as she charged up the hall to the now vacant bathroom. A towel wrapped around his hips comfortably.

"Hi Chels, how are things going?"

"Good! I got a new room!" Chelsea yelled from the bathroom when a door flew open and Darry walked into the hallway.

"Hi Lee is Dad home too?"

"Yeah downstairs I think."

"Good! I need to talk to him about moving out."

"Good riddance!" Chelsea sang from the bathroom.

"Why is it you two can't get along for just one day?" Lee asked as he turned into his own room for clothes.

"Because he's a boy. Come and see my room!" Chelsea begged from his doorway.

"Two seconds Honey, I'll get some clothes on and be there. You might want to let Jake out before someone reports us for child abuse."

Chelsea laughed and went over to the toddler's room where he was making one heck of a racket. He held his arms up for a cuddle and gave her a big smile. "Telsea! Telsea!"

Chelsea laughed and set him down on the floor, "Good morning to you too Jakey."

The kid ran off somewhere and Chelsea wandered into her room to wait for her Dad.

Lee was stunned at the amount of pink there was but seeing his daughter's happy face he knew she loved it. With pale pink walls, white furniture and hot pink trimmings everywhere, he had to admit the room was a vast improvement.

"How long before your sisters want one do you think?"

"Too late they're already bugging me to swap. Do you like it?"

Lee nodded thoughtfully, "Yes I do but do you like it?"

"I love it. Michaela and Maddie did it for me and look!" She threw open the closet now full with pink, purple and white girl clothes. "I've even got real clothes!"

"You've always had real clothes Chels."

"Not since Mum died I haven't. Some of them are from Melanie but that's okay I like them."

Lee sat down on the bed quiet. "We've really neglected you since your Mum died haven't we?"

"It's okay Dad." Chelsea sat down on the bed beside him and held his hand. "You're job's more important than us, I know."

"What?" Lee looked at her alarmed. "Is that what you think? My job is more important than you guys?"

"Well yeah, Mum always said it was because you weren't an ordinary person who'd settle for just anything. Flying was the closest thing you could do that would make you into a super hero."

"Flying is something I do because I love it and your mother was tricking you I think."

"Probably, she always did things like that. Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you really love us?"

"Of course I do Honey, very much so."

"If that's true then why don't you stay with us more?"

"Because I have to keep Maverick safe or Maddie will not be very nice to live with so aside from looking after you guys, I have to look after him too."

"Oh." Chelsea seemed happy with that explanation and laid her head against his shoulder. Lee lifted his arm and dropped it around her small shoulders hugging her gently.

"You know what Chels?"

"What?"

"When we move back to Miramar there are going to be some changes and yes I will try to be home more for you guys okay?"

"Thanks Dad!" She threw her arms around him in a hug. "You're the best."

"Just don't tell your mother."

The pair of them lapsed into laughter at the old joke they had between them.

"Telsea poo! Telsea poo!" Jake wandered in and as he got closer both Lee and Chelsea could smell the offensive item.

"Oh good one Jake! You could have waited until after I left for school."

"You want me to change him for you?" Lee offered.

"Thanks Dad."

"No problem. Come on mate, let's leave Princess Chelsea to get ready shall we?" Lee scooped his son up in his arms and carried him into his room to clean him up and get him ready for the day.


	12. Chapter 12

That morning the boys did the rounds of dropping kids at school and even took Maddie to work with a promise to pick her up that afternoon. The two were laughing at a piece of road kill they almost got on their way home as they let themselves into the quiet house.

"Breakfast time I think," Lee chuckled.

"Definitely, I'll put the pot onto boil and you go skin the road kill," Maverick winked walking into the kitchen. Lee laughed when he slammed straight into the back of Maverick. Sitting at their dining table was Michaela and Rebecca looking none too happy.

"What's up Mav, seen a ghost?"

"No but I think one of us is in for it. Hey ladies, what's happening?" Maverick greeted the quiet serious pair cautiously. "Where's Cowoby?"

"Cowboy had to go back on duty and we wanted to talk to Lee," Rebecca spoke up.

"Why don't I like the look or sound of this?" Lee muttered quietly to his friend.

"I don't know but two quiet women waiting for you is not a good sign. Good luck." Maverick patted his partner sympathetically on the shoulder.

"Gee tah and where are you going?" He watched his partner head for the front door at a faster pace than when he came in.

"Out to get breakfast of course," Maverick laughed and quickly exited leaving his friend to face whatever wrath the two girls were about to dish out.

"Sit down Lee," Michaela instructed sweetly.

"Can I get a cup of coffee and slice of toast first? I'm hungry."

"Sit, I'll make it for you," Michaela instructed.

'_Oh shit! What have I done this time?'_ Lee wondered as he took a seat and sized up the murderous looking Rebecca at the other end. "Alright what is it?" Lee sighed in resignation.

"Your children," Rebecca started.

"What about them?"

"They need a father."

"They've got one."

"No they haven't! All they've got is a thirty eight year old child who won't admit he's too old for flying." Lee heard a sharp intake of breath and guessed it was Michaela or, his own.

"And your reason for this is?"

"You're never here! You're always off flying somewhere around the world. Well it's got to stop. Your family need you and it's really unfair of you to dump all the responsibility on Maddie. You're taking advantage of that poor woman and it's not nice! If you were my friend, I wouldn't bother giving you the time of day. User!"

"Now hang on a sec!" Lee's temper rose at the attack when his pager started beeping. Quickly he snatched it up in relief. "I have to get this," He remarked to the girls but one look at their faces and he knew it wasn't going to happen.

"No can do if it doesn't work, right?" Bec picked it up, dumped it in the sink, turning the cold water on full bore. The beeping instantly stopped.

"Bec, that's not funny. You're going to get me in serious trouble if I don't answer."

"Do I look like I care? You sit there and you listen to me Lee Sanders! You have three beautiful girls and an active two year old that you rarely see. Chelsea's got problems at school, she dresses like a boy, her room did look like a hospital and she's raising a two year old at the age of eight! She should be outside playing with friends, wearing girly things and thinking about anything but being responsible for a baby. But that's the least of your worries right now! You have to stop taking advantage of Maddie! She has her own children to worry about without refereeing yours. Now wake up to yourself Lee, before you loose a really good friend."

"Is that it? You going to say something too?" Lee turned to Michaela. She'd given him his toast and coffee but Lee ignored it whilst under attack.

"I think it's really mean how you just assume Maddie's going to look after your children as well as hers. It can't be easy for her holding down a full time job and managing six children. You never seem to say thank you, you just seem to come and go as you please, mostly to work, and that's unfair. You mightn't be able to cope with the fact that Ashley is dead and use work as an excuse to hide in but they're just kids! They can't do that and I think it should stop." Lee was surprised to see Michaela's hands shaking.

At that point the phone rang and Lee looked at it frowning, "Ladies I seriously need to get that and I suggest that we save this conversation for later." Lee got up to answer the phone.

"Leave it Lee!" Rebecca snapped, "We aren't finished with you yet." She picked up the receiver and slammed it back down to silence it.

"No shit," Lee muttered and sat back down more concerned about the ringing phone and drowned pager than the lectures he was getting.

"We want to know what you're going to do about it?"

"Do about what?" Lee asked deliberately irritating them more.

Michaela gave him a soft apologetic smile but that didn't detract from the menace in her tone, "We want to know what you're going to do to stop taking advantage of Maddie and start taking responsibility for your own family?"

"That's easy, offer one of you a job as Nanny, who'd like to help me raise my family of four?"

"Don't be a smart ass Lee!" Bec snapped angrily.

"I'm not! Without Maddie my children would be feral but in case you haven't noticed there's no one else in this house anymore who can help out! I'm not giving up my job because you two think I should be home more although, after not answering my page I might not have a job anyway. But in case you two haven't noticed, all three of us can't do everything and obviously we need another person around to help out, so who's it going to be? The pay will be good, that I can promise you."

Michaela looked up startled but thoughtful, "I've got my own two to look after, I don't think I could cope with six."

"Rebecca?" Lee turned to her. "Chelsea adores you, always has, and I can't think of a better reason for you to help us out here."

Rebecca flushed greatly taken aback a little at his sincere compliment. This wasn't supposed to be how the argument ends. Lee was supposed to agree with them and swear to take a normal job that brought him home at normal hours. "I-I guess I could help."

"Great, thank you. I'll have my solicitor's draw up some sort of agreement between us when I get back but right now I have to go-." Lee stood up just as there was a hammering on the front door.

"I'll go," Michaela offered and left the room. Two seconds later her departure was followed up by a shriek, "Lee!"

Four large MP's pushed past her the leader demanding one Captain Lee Sanders to appear. Lee instantly emerged from the kitchen. "Are you Captain Lee Sanders?"

"Yes Sir I am." Lee produced his ID and was instantly pushed up against the wall while his hands were zip tied behind his back.

"What are you doing?" Michaela cried, tears flooding her eyes yet again.

'_Man that woman had enough tears to keep Niagra falls running for twenty years._' Leeknew enough to know he was about to be charged with being absent without leave. _'Thanks ladies, due to your need to lecture me, I'm about to be charged!'_

"Captain Sanders you are being charged with being absent without leave. You have the right to remain silent, anything you do say, can and will be used against you in a court of law."

"But we only wanted to talk to him," Rebecca gasped horrified from behind.

"That's what happens when I ignore my pages," Lee muttered as he was hustled past the stricken Michaela and placed into the MP's vehicle.

Derrick was pissed off and Lee didn't blame him in the slightest. Those girls in all their wisdom had landed Lee in more trouble in half an hour than four mice taunting a cat.

His CO had of coursed bailed him out and dropped all charges once Lee explained what happened and why he hadn't answered the page.

When they returned to the Nightstalker compound he had two of the staff members call by the house and pick the women up for a stern lecture of his own. Rebecca went toe to toe with his CO and gave it right back to him while Michaela turned into a blubbering mess and tried to hide. Lee managed to stop her crumpling into a corner and held her tight, her shaking was violent enough to resemble an earth quake.

Finally the lecture was over and both women were told to go home and not to interfere with government business again. The same two staff members escorted one angry and one distressed girl home.

"Quite a little lion cub that one," Derrick muttered leaning back in his chair thoughtful.

Lee laughed, "Yeah, never knew how well she could roar until now. What do you want me to do now Derrick, seeing as how I missed the mission."

"Go help Spanner fix Helo 9, something's wrong with the on-board computers." Derrick referred to one of the helo's that was in shop at that point.

"Okay."

"Oh and Captain?"

"Yeah?" Lee stopped and turned at the door.

"You're grounded for a week unless you get me a date with the lion cub."

Lee nodded thoughtfully, "You know she's only 22? A very old 22 mind you."

"So? I'm only 30 where's the harm?"

"No harm, didn't realize you were so young," Lee's eyebrows narrowed in confusion. Both he and Maverick had him picked for much older.

Derrick laughed, "Go do your job Captain before I have you re-arrested and forget about my age, it's not important."

Lee only nodded in agreement and left the room relieved that morning's drama was all over.


	13. Chapter 13

"If I said jump would you?"

Maddie jerked at the sudden familiar voice in her office and turned away from the window where she'd been day dreaming. "Of course not, you're the one who likes to live dangerously not me."

Lee chuckled and made himself comfortable in her visitors chair. "You busy?"

"Not really, what's up and is this in relation to where my husband might be?" Maddie asked with an amused raised eyebrow. She was expecting Lee to fully admit the other pilot's had kidnapped Maverick and sent him to the other side of the world to teach him a lesson or carry out some prank.

"Maverick's safe on a mission. I missed out because those two she-cat's living with us got me arrested."

"You're kidding?" Maddie looked up confused.

"Nope, we dropped you and the kids off and when we got home they were waiting for me. The pager went, Rebecca dumped it in water. The phone rang, Rebecca silenced it and so the MP's showed up and arrested me for dereliction of duty. I warned them not to mess with the government but they were hell bent on giving me a lecture."

"On?"

"On how my kids don't have a father, that I'm never home and that I'm taking advantage of you. Am I?"

"Are you what?"

"Maddie," Lee sighed heavily, "Do you feel like I'm taking advantage of you expecting you to look after both lots of kids? Is it too much? Should I make other arrangements or something?"

"Well, I won't say it's been easy for me but hell, it's a challenge and you know I thrive on those." Maddie smiled and laid her notepad and pen aside. "What's wrong Lee? You're not happy with your job or are you concerned at the fact that you rarely see your children?"

"Things have changed since Ashley died-."

"Yes they have."

"What do you think she'd say if she was here?"

"Is that before or after she kicked you?"

Both of them laughed at a shared picture of my limited patience when it came to Lee's thoughts.

"Probably after. Maddie answer me straight, is looking after six kids plus house and business too much for you especially when we're away?"

"Honestly?" Lee nodded. "Sometimes it can be and I do miss Ashley's help enormously. Between the two of us we took on three kids each and it was definitely easier."

"I've offered Rebecca the job of Nanny. She can do her internship with you when everyone's at school and then help with the kids afterwards. It's about the best thing I can come up with right now, aside from quitting flying."

"You'd hate it, it'd drive you mad."

"Yeah that's what worries me. I want to go back to the Navy and instructing. You still get to fly a bit and it's long days but I don't get called away for days, weeks or months at a time. I'm home at a reasonable hour so I can see the kids. Chelsea told me the other day that she understands my work is more important to me than them. Do you know how that made me feel?"

"Lousy?"

"Yeah, some Dad I am. There Mother dies and I run off to a worser job in terms of hours."

"Rebecca and Michaela's lecture has you feeling guilty doesn't it?"

"No I was feeling like this when I took Chelsea to Miramar and the ranch for the weekend. Ashley's grave's there and while I vowed never to go near it I'd feel better knowing it was close by. Do you think Mav's going to hate me?"

"Nope. You know what Maverick's like, he'll want you to be happy and do what you want. He'd rather have a partner who behaves like a child as much as he does than someone whose all staid and responsible. In his reasoning the only way to get that is to be happy in what you're doing. Besides its not the first time you've been doing different things."

"True. I spoke to Tom about going back to Top Gun as Senior Instructor once again and he was quite keen on the idea."

"What about this plan of setting up a new Nightstalker base at Miramar?"

"They can have it, I miss the Navy. I don't know what it is but I don't belong in the Army, I'm a Navy guy through and through."

"Lee did you really come here for my advice or just to convince yourself that what you're thinking is correct?"

"No I came here to find out if you thought I was taking advantage of you and depending on your answer, I would decide what I was going to do from here."

"Which is?"

"Transfer back to the Navy when we go home and take up instructing once again."

"Then do it."

"I will and I think Chelsea would be a lot happier back there too. I know she misses the place and the space."

"Yeah, base housing certainly doesn't compare does it?"

"Nope."

"Lee if you want this so badly then do it and don't worry about Maverick, he'll work himself out, he always does."

"Thanks Maddie, you're the best."

"I know." She grinned at him smugly.

Lee laughed, "How about I take you to lunch to say thanks?"

"Done only make sure it's expensive, I feel like Lobster."

"Your wish is my command." Lee stood up and held her jacket for her as she slipped it on.

When Lee arrived home later that afternoon he was met with two solemn and dubious girls. Rebecca immediently apoligised and that was the end of it. Lee had contacted his Solicitor and the agreement would be there the following day. Rebecca was more than happy to take on the job of Nanny, espeicallly when he told her they would be moving back to Miramar. She wasn't so keen on the idea of dating his CO though.

Lee was hanging his uniform up and doing bits and pieces that hadn't got done due to lectures and being arrested when Michaela appeared in the doorway like an apparition.

"Lee?"

"Yeah?" He turned and smiled at the pale faced lady who, at that moment, looked like a little girl.

"I'm really really sorry about this morning. I-I didn't want to get you into trouble."

"Hey no harm done. You were just lucky my CO was understanding."

"H-he didn't seemed to be understanding when he was yelling at us."

"Well he was pretty mad and trying to get across how important military stuff is, which I'm surprised you didn't know about with Hollywood?"

"He doesn't do the jobs you guys do. He went in to an office every day and was home at six every night. If there was something wrong he took time out and came home or ran late," Michaela shrugged, "It didn't matter which."

"Yeah I remember that kind of freedom back in Miramar when I was Senior Instructor."

"You miss it don't you?"

"Miramar or instructing?"

"Both?"

"Yeah I do, that's why first thing tomorrow I'm putting in for a transfer back there. I miss it and I'm not happy in the Army."

Suddenly Michaela's eyes filled with tears yet again and Lee looked at her mystified as to what could possibly be upsetting her this time. "I really miss him Lee." The tears spilled over.

Lee walked over and gathered her in his arms. It was all he could think of doing. "I know Honey, god how I do know."

"You miss Ashley?"

"Every waking minute but it does get easier."

Michaela nodded against his t-shirted broad chest. "You know something? Hollywood felt exactly the same as you do."

Lee laughed, "That's probably because we had the same fitness routine."

"Yeah but he was super skinny and yet he felt this broad and muscular," Michaela ran her fingers up and down his back.

The movement was tantalizing and Lee felt his desire launch itself like a plane off a catapault. Quietly he cursed and eased back away from her to put some distance between them but Michaela only held tighter. "Don't, I-I like this, being here with you," She whispered.

"Michaela-."

"Ssssshhhhhh," She whispered her eyes shining with thoughts mirroring that of his own.

"Michaela," He tried again, "I don't think this is right."

"What isn't?"

"You and I here alone like this."

"Tell me you haven't missed this? Look me in the eye and tell me you don't want it and I'll leave you alone."

Lee looked down determined to tell her but in that second or two Michaela reached up and pressed her lips to his. At first Lee resisted but when she raked her fingernails across his shoulders and down his forearms in circles the dam broke and he pulled her hard up against him. Their kissing intensified with desperation and it took no time at all to divest the clothing, kick the door shut and tumble onto his bed.

Half an hour later they lay together, Michaela's leg thrown over his own, feet tangled. They were sweaty and breathing heavily as the excitement died down.

Lee shifted a bit so that Michaela's head was pillowed on his shoulder, his arms around her.

"That shouldn't have happened," Michaela muttered quietly.

"Yeah but it did," Lee murmured against her damp matted hair. Gently he kissed her head closing his eyes and relaxing.

"I'm sorry?" She offered drowsily.

"Don't be, I'm not." Lee replied drifting slowly into the land of pleasant dreams.


	14. Chapter 14

When he woke again he was surprised to see it was dark and the house full of noise as the families readied themselves for the evening. Michaela was up and gone leaving him all alone.

Moving downstairs he found, her, Rebecca and Maddie preparing dinner. Darry was doing homework at the table while Chelsea fed Jake. The twins, Eli and Melanie were glued to the TV while Rick was upstairs playing some game with Cowboy.

"Oh look who woke up!" Maddie exclaimed when she saw him.

"Guess I was tired," Lee laughed sheepishly and stole a glance at Michaela but she refused to acknowledge him. "Hi Chelsea, how was school?"

"It was alright," Chelsea shrugged, "But the principal wants to see you again tomorrow."

"What for this time?"

"I taped Josh Whitmore to a door."

"Why?"

"Because he tried to kiss her," Darry crowed in delight.

"He did not you idiot! He tried to kiss my friend Patsy!" Chelsea yelled straight back.

"Yeah right! Why were you crying like a baby?"

"I was not!"

"Yes you were."

"Prove it seeing as how you're always right."

"I'm not always right but at least I know when to admit it."

"And are you saying I don't?"

"Well if the shoe fits-"

Suddenly Maddie's shrill whistle cut across the arguing. "That's enough out of either of you! Darry do your homework or go upstairs, Chelsea hurry it up please. Lee you will get a phone call off the principal."

"That's better than being summoned. You want me to finish that Chelsea and you go upstairs and get your homework done?"

"Why do I have to leave? Why can't Darry?"

"Because I'm not doing anything!" Darry cried indignantly.

"Niether am I and besides I was here first."

"Were not."

"Were so!"

"Were not!"

"Were so!"

"Were not!"

"That's enough!" Lee really roared at the pair. "Seeing as how you two have problems getting along you're both on the washing up for the next two weeks."

"Dad!"

"Lee!"

Both kids cried at the same time, not impressed.

"Just think yourselves lucky I don't make you share a room. Chelsea finish feeding Jake and Darry go and fininsh your homework upstairs. Okay with you Maddie?"

"Fine by me."

"Thanks Mum," Darry muttered scowling at Chelsea who only ignored him.

That night after he kissed the twins goodnight and tucked them in he checked on Jake and covered him with the blankets. Chelsea lay in bed reading and Lee stuck his head in wishing her a good night.

As he wandered back downstairs to help Maddie clean up and get things ready for the next day he bumped into Michaela on the stairs. She jumped a mile.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you."

"It's okay." She avoided his eyes and kept on walking up the stairs.

"Hey," Lee's hand snaked out and stopped her. "Are you okay?"

"Yes why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, after this afternoon I just thought maybe….."

"It's okay Lee, I know it was a mistake and I'm really sorry for coming onto you like that."

"Michaela, it takes two you know. I could have pushed you away or stopped it but I didn't so don't blame yourself. I'm just as much to blame as you are."

Michaela nodded when the lights went out.

"Lee?" Michaela questioned in fright and grabbed onto him.

"It's okay, the bulb probably just blew, all the other lights are still on."

Michaela looked around up and downstairs and realized it was only the hall light that was out. "Oh silly me," She blushed in a becoming way and Lee felt that familiar attraction starting to stir between them. "You're right, I must be really really tired."

"Too much bed and not enough sleep?" Lee quipped cheekily sending Michaela the colour of a tomato. "Sorry," He chuckled.

"No you're not. That has to be one of the most in-sincerest apologies I have ever heard. Your house is strange."

"It's got to be some sort of electrical fault. Besides I don't know about you but I certainly don't need light to see what I'm doing." His voice loaded with pointed meaning.

She smiled a small smile that was almost an admittance that she was enjoying the attention. "Do you always flirt like this with strange women?"

"You're not strange." Lee gave her a sly smile loaded with meaning. He seemed highly amused when she stepped down a step coming closer to him.

"Lee cut it out." Michaela glared at him.

"Why? Afraid you might end up in bed with me again?"

"Of course not."

"Then why are you moving closer to me?" Lee looked at her and again that same passionate look she had had earlier was there. He knew right then and there where things were going to end up and he didn't even have to make a move.

The next morning was a whole different story as he readied himself for work. Returning from the bathroom he found himself locked out of his room. When he finally got back in he had to duck and quickly as one of his textbooks flew magically across the room by itself. Michaela had disappeared sometime during the night.

Lee ducked the book easily and couldn't resist a small grin of satisfaction as another book was pulled off his shelf and aimed straight at him. "Ashley cut it out! You knew this would happen one day." Once again the textbook was thrown at him followed by two more. Lee ducked them easily and chuckled as they landed on the floor with a thump. "You always were a lousy shot."

Ashley grabbed all the sheets and blankets and pulled them off the bed letting them rest in a crumpled heap on the floor.

"Oh now this is childish. Ashley I'm a man and I seriously needed to get laid. I'd have sex with you but you're only a ghost and that's no fun. I'm not replacing you, just getting lucky for a change."

The drawers on his bedside table were flung open and he watched helplessly as the contents were emptied onto the floor beside the sheets and blankets.

"Ashley come on! This is ridiculous." He went over and started to pick the items up to put back but Ashley slammed the drawers shut and refused to let them open. Lee sighed, "Look its nothing permanent, just a bit of fun. Besides, she needs comfort as much as what I do, why can't you understand that?" The last remaining textbook flew across the room straight at him.

"Well that's all the textbooks, what's next? My uniforms?" Lee sassed in a sarcastic manner only to regret his words. The cupboard flew open and one by one the uniforms where hauled out, crumpled and dumped on the floor.

"I tell you what Miss Cranky-Ghost, when you're finished playing your games come and get me. I'll be downstairs having breakfast."

Maverick had come in from his mission at four that morning and had exactly two hours sleep when the noises started. There were doors slamming and all sorts of bangs clearly indicating someone was not real happy. Maverick groaned, rolled over and shoved his head under his pillow.

"What's he done this time?"

"Who?" Maddie asked emerging fresh from her shower and kissing her husband who could only smile tiredly in return.

"Lee. So you've forgiven me now have you?" Maverick asked slyly as his intelligent but tired mind started to tick over.

Maddie only smiled mysteriously, "Why do you ask?"

"Can't you hear the racket he's making? He only does that when he's mad. And, you kissed me."

Maddie smiled mysteriously like she had a great big secret, "Why shouldn't I kiss you, after all I do love you some of the time. I don't think that's Lee."

Maverick laid back on the bed and laughed, "After not telling you about Miramar I thought you would still be mad?"

"I am. I only kissed you Maverick," She replied in a voice that said the gesture was of little importance.

"You're an impossible woman." Maverick sighed knowing he was still in trouble for that day and not telling her sooner about Miramar. "So why don't you think this racket is due to Lee and one of his temper's?"

"He slept with Michaela twice yesterday and we have a certain ghost in this house who happens to be an ex-wife. Not to mention she could be incredibly jealous when alive."

"You seriously don't expect me to believe that racket is being made by Ashley do you?"

"Yeap."

"And what the hell does Lee think he's doing sleeping with Michaela? That man needs his flaming head read! Michaela of all people!"

"Well you know Lee he does as he pleases," Maddie stated airily.

"Yeah especially when he's sex deprived," Maverick muttered and yawned. "God whoever it is makes more noise than the kids when they're fighting."

Just at that moment their own bedroom door opened only there was no one there. Maverick looked at it strangely when he felt someone sit down on the bed next to him.

"Morning Ashley, guess you're not happy with Lee right now?" Maddie asked.

There was no answer.

"She can't talk but she makes enough noise to wake the dead?"

"Ashley say hello to Maverick, you remember him, the one with his foot firmly planted in his mouth?"

At that moment there was a cool breeze across his muscled chest when the covers started to slide down off his naked body. Maddie was across the other side of the room so it wasn't her.

"Hey! Give them back Brat!" Maverick snapped in a sub-conscious response.

"Believe me now?" Maddie asked as she fastened earings in.

"Yeah, alright." Maverick smiled sheepishly as the covers were placed back over him and playfully tucked in. A familiar playful laugh floated about the room.

"Hey Lee?" Maverick yelled at the top of his voice.

"What?" Lee asked walking up the hall towards there room.

"How do you get rid of this dammed nuisance ghost?"

Lee stopped and leaned on the doorway of their room. "Threatening to call Ghostbusters usually settles her down. What's she mad at anyway?"

"Like you don't know," Maddie said looking at her friend in disbelief.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that."

"You forgot about sleeping with your mate's widow?"

"You told," Lee looked at Maddie accusingly.

"Couldn't resist," Maddie smiled gleefully as she walked past him patting his cheek happily.

"You're an idiot!" Maverick muttered.

"How did the mission go? What time did you get in?"

"Four this morning, Derrick told me about you getting yourself arrested."

"The girls got me arrested."

"Lee! You want breakfast?" Maddie yelled up the stairs.

"Yes please!"

"Good, you cook while I organize kids!"

"Yes boss!" Lee turned back to his friend, "Sorry Mav, got to go help the little lady or we'll be eating at the officer's mess for a week. When you're ready I've got to talk to you too."

"Sounds serious?"

"It is but get some sleep first."

"Provided your ghost shuts up, I will."

At that moment Lee was shoved from the room and the door slammed in his face much to Maverick's amusement.


	15. Chapter 15

Downstairs, Lee surveyed the kitchen warily wondering where his wife's ghost was going to come from next. He ran his hands through his hair in uncharacteristic nervousness as he picked up the kettle. It was still half full and Lee thought nothing of it as he walked across to the sink to fill it up. Suddenly his hand jerked upwards and around forcing himself to tip the kettle of cold water over the top of his head.

Maddie walked into the kitchen at that rather precise moment. "Well that's one way to take a shower," She commented, "Hungry?"

"Yeah thanks and I wasn't taking a shower, Ashley did it."

"Sure she did," Maddie indulged him in his little game.

"Maddie! She did! She's mad at me because I scored with Michaela last night."

"Uh-huh, did I pin that reminder on the fridge about your next psych eval Lee? I wonder if they could bring it forward?"

"Not funny!" Lee stalked into the laundry after filling the kettle and putting it onto boil. He found a towel dryed himself off glaring at his friend the entire time.

"I thought it was," Maddie giggled and cracked some eggs into a bowl before adding some milk and whisking. "So where is Michaela this morning?"

"Probably in her own room, some smart assed ghost kicked her out!" Lee glared into thin air. "Do you know how hard it is explaining you have a ghost who happens to be a dead wife?"

"A bit like explaining why you were taking a shower in the kitchen using the kettle?" Maddie shrugged and tipped the egg mixture into a flat bottom frypan where she added onion, herbs and cheese.

"You trying to bath in the kettle again Lee?" Cowboy asked in amusement as he walked into the kitchen. "Morning everyone."

"Morning," Maddie replied, "Michaela up?"

"Nope, she's still asleep so I let her be. I suspect someone wore her out good and proper last night." Cowboy looked in Lee's direction accusingly.

"Jeez is nothing in this house a secret anymore?"

"No!" Maddie and Cowboy both replied at exactly the same time.

When Maverick emerged at midday he found his friend in the garage tinkering with their motorbikes. One half of the double garage was piled high with boxes from their move to Fort Campbell. None of them had been unpacked or even touched.

"Been awhile since we've taken these babies out," Maverick commented watching Lee put some lubricant onto the chain.

"Yeah," Lee agreed and stood up wiping his hands on a rag Maverick tossed to him. "Is one of those for me?"

"No I thought I'd drink both and have a caffeine high for a couple of hours," Maverick chuckled at his partner's wry grin. "Of course one's for you." He passed the full coffee mug over and Lee sipped it gratefully. "How come you're home anyway? Nothing to do on base?"

Lee sipped the hot strong coffee. "Not really unless you want to sit around and wait for the pagers to go off so I thought I'd spend it here. You made up with Maddie yet?"

Maverick wrinkled his nose, "Not really although she did kiss me this morning."

"Uh-huh and was it a real kiss or a performance of duty?"

"Performance of duty, why? What's she been saying?"

"Not much other than you didn't know how to realize when you were onto a good thing."

"Yeah I know but I haven't been here to do that. We were gone for four days, home for something like three hours and then called back out and you went to jail."

"Don't remind me."

"Why is it, when Ashley's making her presence known, I always think of Miramar?"

"You and me both," Lee sighed.

"What did you want to talk to me about?" Maverick found himself a seat on an upturned drum while Lee made himself comfortable on the floor.

"I've put in for a transfer back to the navy and instructing."

"You like instructing?"

"Yeah I do and I like the fact I'm home to see my kids more often. Mav, do you seriously find the helicopters challenging to fly?"

"Definitely, don't you?"

"Yeah but I miss the speed, the deadly accuracy of calculations and the speed with which I have to do them in to get you in the right place to shoot. Sitting in a cockpit visually sighting landmarks, matching them to maps and then telling the on-board computer it's wrong is droll. I miss the challenge of the jets."

"Fair enough, you spoken to the Admiral now in charge?"

"Admiral Robertson? Yeah, spoke to him the other day and apparently there's changes a foot and he'd love another senior instructor on board. They're splitting the classes up into good and bad guys, five weeks in one area, five weeks in the other. He wants me to head up the bad guys and the course will now involve offensive and defensive flying."

"Sounds like a basketball game. So the enemy fighters won't be flown by the instructors?"

"They will but it'll be against the students in their section. At the end of ten weeks, the instructors go head to head with all the students in a mock battle and like reality, the good or bad guys have to win, makes my blood tingle just thinking about it and the helo's are yet to do that."

"Lee if you want to go back to jets then go, you don't need my permission."

"I'm not asking for it. What I want to know is, are you that happy you could stay with the Nightstalkers all your life because I don't think you are."

"Right now I'd be happy to sort my wife out and get our relationship back on track."

"And how are you going to do that when you're off somewhere in the world on call? Don't you miss seeing them Mav?"

Maverick sighed heavily, "Yeah I do and I hate leaving arguments way up in the air like we've done recently."

"Right. You know when you rang me and asked what to do when you really pissed your wife off and I said take her away for the weekend and spoil her rotten?" Maverick nodded, "Well being on call like we are, when are you going to get a chance to do that and where can you go that's romantic and secluded without going out of the on-call radius?"

"You do miss Miramar and Top Gun."

"Yeah that's why I'm going back and I would prefer it if you came with me."

"Not ready too, Lee. Not ready at all."

"Fair enough."

The boys sat quietly sipping their coffee's, each thinking their own thoughts but knowing the conversation was at a close. Lee wasn't too perturbed about Maverick staying with the Nightstalkers while Maverick wasn't overly concerned that Lee's feelings would be hurt by him saying no to going back to the navy.

"So you going to treat your wife like the incredible person she is?" Lee asked mischievously, "Because if you don't I will."

Maverick laughed, "Like she'd have a piece of you."

"You never know, Michaela fell for my charms why not Maddie?"

"Because she's lived with you and she's not that desperate. You have to remember she knows all your tricks. And, if our ghost gets wind of you and Maddie, well let's just say I wouldn't want to be here when that happens."

Lee's green eyes glinted wickedly at the mere thought of me and my temper. He had loved nothing better than to make my blood boil and the whole thought of it was most appealing. "Yeah I know."

"You sadist!" Maverick laughed as his friend winked at him in agreement.

"She taught me well."

"Guess I'd better go organize with Derrick to have the weekend off or I won't be married for too much longer."

"Now you're thinking."

Half an hour later the boys where whipping along the great open roads. The two motorbikes Lee had been tinkering with purring to perfection and both men loving the sense of freedom that went with it.


	16. Chapter 16

"Come in?" Maddie called at the sound of the knock on her office door. She was happily packing boxes with her closed case files ready to move back to Miramar when a courier entered. The big move was on in a week and just quietly she was looking forward to it.

"Excuse me Ma'am but are you Madison Mitchell?"

"Yeap I am." She pushed a wayward strand of hair out of her eyes and glanced at the clock. It was two thirty.

"Sign here please." The courier held a clipboard out to her and she scrawled her signature where indicated. He handed her a small soft package.

Inspecting the package in confusion she closed the door behind the courier and turned it over looking for a return address hoping to get a clue as to what it was or where it was from. There was nothing.

That got her curiosity going and she ripped the yellow envelope open. Inside was a long soft red scarf that looked familiar. Pulling it out, a piece of paper fluttered to the floor and she retrieved it, opening it to read the small handwritten message.

Tie the scarf around your eyes so that you can't see.

Sit on the lounge and wait.

Two men will come and collect you, you are not to speak to them nor are they to talk to you. They will check you cannot see.

Go with the men and do exactly as they say. Do not ask questions, they will not answer.

Do not be afraid, you're perfectly safe.

Adam

Maddie heaved a sigh of relief when she saw her husband's name and couldn't resist a small smile of excitement. It had been a long time since Maverick had surprised her with his little games, the last one saw her meeting him on the edge of a live volcano for their tenth wedding anniversary. But, this was no wedding anniversary.

Maddie did as she was told and ten minutes later someone knocked on her door and she called for them to come in. They did and Maddie couldn't help but feel a little bit nervous as to who it was and what was about to happen. She sat rubbing her hands together fidgeting but trying to stay calm. A large warm hand was placed over her's to still them. "Relax," Lee quietly whispered and Maddie heaved a sigh of relief at there being someone familiar involved in the little game. Maverick was definitely up to something and she couldn't suppress the little tingle of excitement that ran threw her. Lee's quite chuckle at the movement was reassuring.

There were two men but Maddie could tell, by the scent of the expensive cologne, Lee was the one who stayed with her. The second person picked up her bag and locked the office behind them. Carefully they assisted her down the stairs and into a waiting car.

For the next fifteen or so minutes the car wove it's way in and around the streets outside of Fort Campbell. Maddie completely disorientated and if they kept going for too much longer she thought she'd throw up. It was with relief that the car eventually stopped and the engine was turned off. Doors opened and the cool afternoon breeze hit her helping to quell some of the nausea she was feeling.

As instructed, Maddie didn't ask questions. But, on the inside she was curious as all hell when she was placed into a waiting helicopter that took off pretty much straight away. The pilot spoke only to request clearances not that she could hear much with the noise of the rotors above.

It was hours before they landed somewhere cold, the air biting as she was helped down from the helo with the blindfold still on. Again it was a welcomed relief to be out of the moving vehicle. Someone wrapped a jacket around her shoulders and she slid her arms into it gratefully. It was cold!

Someone was with her and they guided her to a safe distance away. There was grass and rocks underfoot and guessed she was in some sort of field.

"Stand there until the helo's gone and you can no longer here it then take your blindfold off." The voice in her ear was Lee's.

"Thanks Lee." Maddie couldn't resist, she just had to say something.

"Go easy on him, he loves you," Lee smiled as he returned to the helo and it lifted off leaving her all alone.

By now her senses had gone into overdrive and she instinctively knew she was on a mountain but where she had no idea. She became aware of the fresh cold breeze, smell of pine and fir trees, the thinner wispier air and the intense quiet broken by birds and insects. The familiar thump of the helicopter's rotor blades drifted away into the distance, until she couldn't hear them anymore.

Pulling the blindfold off Maddie saw she was indeed in a field high up on what was probably a mountain top. There was a pile of yellow rose petals at her feet and she giggled lightly as they stretched like a thick carpet through the field. Another note stuck on a nearby stake read, '_Follow the yellow brick road._'

Carefully she started walking following the trail of rose petals. As the trail dipped downwards she started to slip and slide somewhat in her high heeled shoes but managed to retain her balance. It wasn't too dangerous but any rockier or steeper and she probably would have broken a leg or the shoes.

For ten minutes she followed the thick rose petal path out of the field and down around a small cliff when she thought she could smell smoke. Looking around she spotted a chimney above the tree tops spewing forth wood smoke.

The thought of shelter and fire nearby made her pick up her pace. She was freezing cold. Her thin silk shirt and suit jacket no match for the late afternoon mountain weather.

Rounding a bend she stopped with a gasp of surprise. In front of her was a mountain cabin. It was the cabin on Maverick's ranch up in the high country of the Sierra Nevada Mountains of Northern California. She remembered it well as they had spent many a romantic weekend up there alone, together, away from phones, pagers, hustle and bustle of life.

At that moment the door opened and Maverick came out walking towards her smiling a warm smile of welcome. Maddie started to hurry, tripping to the point where she fell down but needn't have worried. Maverick was there holding out a hand to help her up which she gratefully took. With one effortless move he hauled her straight up into his arms, her legs wrapped by themselves around his hips as much as her skirt would allow.

"Am I forgiven?" Maverick asked with a cheeky grin.

"Depends on how long we're going to be here for?"

"Two nights."

"Where's Darry and Eli?"

"At home with the others. Lee and Rebecca are taking care of them all with Cowboy and Michaela's help."

"Who paid for all the rose petals?"

"Who do you think? He'd rather see us together than apart and so would I."

"You're forgiven," She muttered leaning forward and kissing him passionately and eagerly.

Without hesitation he carried her into the cabin and kicked the door shut, closing out the rest of the world.


	17. Chapter 17

**Miramar**

The sun was warm as the three friends strolled along the beach watching the kids up ahead frolicking in the shallow waves. It was still only Autumn and way too cold to go swimming. But kids were kids and they were doing their best to get saturated.

Maddie and Maverick walked along, arms around each other, hips bumping while Lee was on the other side of Maddie with a casual arm slung across the top of her shoulders. That had only started because Lee was playing some childish game with them and in order for her to get any peace, she had to let him have his way. Maddie really could be the best of friends when she was happy.

The three of them were indeed happy having arrived home at the Oceanside House the night before. The kids were thrilled to be back and Lee was on top of the world with his transfer back to the navy and instructing. Maverick stayed with the Nightstalkers but put in a request for less missions so he could concentrate more on setting up the Pacific Region Airbase. Their CO accurately guessed it was a ploy on his behalf to spend more time with Maddie, and who could blame him?

"So Lee now that we're back what are you going to do?" Maverick asked lightly. He was more interested in talking about something than nothing.

"Date women."

Maddie laughed, "Just don't scare them away like you did Michaela and we'll all get some peace."

"I didn't scare her away she just thought Cowboy was a better offer." He grinned into the distance and remarked more to himself, "How little she knows."

"Mate you would have been bored of her within a month," Maverick said, "She was too much like a little girl wanting to be taken care of. Hollywood loved that sort of thing, you, on the other hand, prefer fight and fire. Something you can get your teeth into."

"Did we pack our friendly ghost?" Lee quipped making all of them laugh.

"Exactly," Maverick stated.

"She'll show up when you do something wrong," Maddie remarked to Lee.

"In that case then I'd better get to work." He turned and scooped his friend up tossing her squealing and laughing over his shoulder and running down to the water's edge where he dumped her in.

"Lee Sanders! That was not nice!" Maddie surfaced grimacing.

"Sure it- HEY!" He yelled as Maverick crash tackled him laughingly into the surf and waves. Now all three of them were saturated. As the two boys surfaced Lee pushed his friend straight back under.

The kids thought it was hilarious and came running back to possibly join the fun. Krystal and Rachael jumped in excitement when their Dad picked up some long sticky green seaweed and started chasing Maverick.

"Okay kids!" Maddie yelled, "Let's get Maverick!"

The kids all cheered and chased after Maverick. Poor guy ran like the devil in and out of the waves with kids, wife and partner chasing him down. Jake was abandoned by Chelsea and left to dig in the sand. Pretty soon chasings turned into seaweed fights, the kids successfully stuffing the slimy wet stuff down the back of the adult's shirts and jeans.

The afternoon passed as the three adults ran the kids ragged up and down the beach. Each adult was thrown in at least five or six times apiece, with the kids helping all the way.

But soon enough the sun was going down and it was starting to get chilly. The two families who were happy, relaxed and glad to be home, headed for the big house on the cliff top.

Lee drew the short straw the next morning and it was his turn to go pick up groceries. Maverick would normally join him only Maddie had banned the two from shopping together. Thanks to his and Maverick's antics, the pair of them had caused that much trouble, all three of them had been banned from several PX Store's. Maddie reckoned they had warning posters or something up in each store because everyone they went to they were asked to leave.

Now, they had to shop at a store in town and the boys were not allowed to go together.

Lee didn't mind as it gave him an excuse to call by the cemetery. It wasn't something he ordinarily did or needed to do given the ghost he had to put up with. But that morning he felt a strange and sudden need to go see Ashley's grave.

The day was promising to be warm and a light breeze blew across the open grounds as he parked under a tree and walked towards the sight. As he got closer he could see he wasn't alone and stopped to watch the strange figure tending to some weeds around the plot. He remembered well the flowers on the grave that someone had brought when he came back wtih Chelsea a few months ago. One thing was certain the person wasn't Iceman or his old CO's wife Karen.

Standing quite a distance away to observe this strange person his breath suddenly caught in a not so pleasant way. Suddenly he felt like the rug had been yanked out from under his feet and he shook all over. The sun had caught the girl's hair as she'd stod up and the familiar, unmistakable hue of Auburn glinted alarmingly. Lee felt his heart lurch at the familiar sight and he found himself holding his breath. "Ashley?" He shook his head. '_It can't be! She died in my arms_.' The thought brought back a surge of unpleasant memories from the dark recesses of his mind.

More fear than anger got to him, intermingled with curiosity that sent him striding forward determined to get answers. If the girl was indeed his dead wife then he sure as hell wanted to know what was going on. Lee's thoughts were in turmoil as he increased his pace.

Approaching the burial sight on silent feet he could hear whoever it was chatting away like everything was perfectly normal. Another twist of pain bounced around his chest cavity as the familiar voice registered.

Now, he was angry. Angry at the fact that my death appeared to be a complete farce and after the hell he'd been through, he wasn't taking too kindly to the fact that his wife was alive and well, right in front of his nose.

Quickly he reached her, grabbing her arm and twirling her around coming face to face with his own dead wife. Judging by the warmth and solidity of her arm clasped in his hand, she was still very much alive.

"What the HELL?" Lee shouted in shock and disbelief. He was totally unprepared for the reality of the situation. "You've been alive all this time and you didn't tell me? What kind of a mean game do you call this?"


	18. Chapter 18

The girl looked at him shocked unable to speak, the grip on her upper arm cutting in painfully. "And you are?" She glared menacingly but her tone was haughty as she tried to snatch her arm away. His fingers only dug in harder.

"Your husband and the father of your children or have you forgotten that in your desperation to hide the fact that you're still alive? You know something Ashley, I knew you were capable of some pretty mean tricks but this is the absolute lowest stunt I have ever seen you pull. Your four children cry themselves to sleep at night because they miss their Mum and yet, hear you are, alive and well without a care in the world. You didn't even have the fucking decency to tell me!"

"If you're the father of my children then I'd better partition a court for custody straight away seeing as how you've got such a mean temper."

"I only have a mean temper because for eight hellish months you've let me believe you were dead! Now I find, here you are alive and well and as for the children, you haven't a hope in hell of getting them. Ever!" Lee growled and shoved her away from him violently. She fell neatly onto her backside as he turned his back and ran his hands through his short hair trying to gain composure. "What's happened to you?" He asked turning around.

"What do you mean what's happened to me? I'm still the same person I was ten minutes ago, why what's happened to you?"

Lee resisted the impulse to smack her smug face. He was not one to hit women and he certainly wasn't going to start now but she was making it dammed hard. Slowly he took some deep breaths struggling for calm. The fight left him as fast as a wave witdrawing from the beach and he stood glowering at her in utter hatred. He may have loved her dearly once but right now he hated the very sight of her.

"Does Ice know you're alive?" He asked none too gently.

"Who?"

"Iceman, your brother, or have you forgotten him too?"

"No, no he knows." The corners of her mouth twitched in a smile.

'_Dammed if the girl wasn't finding this funny!'_ The thought raised Lee's anger level back up a notch. "When?"

"When what?"

"When did you tell him you were still alive?"

"Oh um last week at the Officer's Club."

"What the hell is going on Ashley? Since when do you go around pulling stunts like this? For eight months you let us believe you were dead, you died in my arms on the kitchen floor from cancer for christs sake! Or was that a trick too?"

"No, no trick. It probably happened but here's where your problem lies, I'm not Ashley."

"Why did you-What?" Lee's face paled with the unexpected admission.

"I'm not Ashley, Ashley-"

"You dammed well look like her!" Lee cried in confusion and distress.

"Well that's what happens when you're an identical twin." By now the girl was grinning like crazy, like it was the funniest thing, just like Ashley would.

"Identical twin?"

"Yes, identical twin. My name's Erin, Erin Kazanski. I take it Ashley's never mentioned a word about me?"

Lee felt weak and sick to his stomach. "No never. I thought she only had the one brother?" Lee looked at her confused and feeling drained from the intense emotion he had felt.

Erin smiled, "Not quite, she had four brothers and me."

"Please tell me Ice isn't part of identical twins too?"

Erin smiled, "If you're referring to Tom then no he's not. Ashley and I were the only twins in the family. She's never spoken about her family has she?"

"No."

Erin sighed, "She wouldn't, she always was strange. I take it you are the reason why her last name's changed to Sanders?"

"Yes, we were married eight years."

"And you have children?"

"Four, three girls, two are twins and a little boy."

"Wow! That makes me an Auntie!"

Lee couldn't help a small smile at the happiness that lit up her face, just the same as Ashley's would have. "Yes it does."

"Look do you think we could maybe go somewhere and have coffee and talk? I'd really love to get to know you, especially as I have been searching for her for so long. I mean, it'd be great to get to know you a little bit, that is, if you don't mind?"

"I guess that would be alright." Lee's head was spinning and personally a good stiff drink would be better but coffee wouldn't hurt either.

"Great!" Erin looped her arm through his and pulled him away from the grave site. "You know I can see why she married you, I would have too if I met you first." Erin giggled, "She always wanted a tall, dark and handsome man, guess she got her wish."

Lee sighed, the girl talked too much. Ashley wouldn't talk that much, she would have been quiet when she was out of her depth or nervous but Erin was the opposite. Lee felt relieved, _'They weren't so identical after all.'_

"Okay I don't actually have a car, I got a cab so can I ride back into town with you? Otherwise I'll have to call the cab back. Is that okay?"

"It's fine," Lee muttered as he held the door open for her.

"Oh you're such a gentlemen and this must have cost a pretty penny, another reason why Ashley would have married you. Mind you, I haven't seen her in like twenty years so I probably hardly knew her but when we were little she used to tell me all the time of the sort of man she wanted to marry and have babies with and you fit the bill. You're not skinny though but that's okay, the muscles would have more than made up for it."

Lee started the car and drove out of the cemetery grounds and into town, Erin chatting the whole way. As he found a parking space and parked the car his phone rang and he picked it up, effectively shutting out the annoying chatter in his ear.

"Maddie what's up?...Yeah I can get that….Having coffee at the moment. Um hang on a sec." Lee took the phone away from his ear and held it against his chest. "Why don't you go in and get us a table? This won't take long."

"Okay, ohhh I can't wait to hear all about Ashley!" The girl jumped out of the car, long hair falling everywhere and again Lee felt that jolt as his heart skipped a beat. "Okay, sorry about that….No not quite. Are you still in touch with any private investigators?...Yeah, I'll explain when I get home but can you give them a call and get them to make enquiries on one Erin Kazanski? She's Ashley's twin…..Yeah, yeah I know. Trust me it was a huge shock to me too. So will you call one of them please?...Hey I don't work on Saturday's either but if they want your business and you offer them enough they will…." Lee laughed out loud. "Alright, but just get the ball rolling for me would you?...Thank you, you're an Angel and yes I promise to explain when I get back." Lee hung up and locked the car, not that there was much point given it was a convertible. He stood for a couple of minutes taking deep breaths and getting himself composed and mentally ready to deal with a past he never knew about.


	19. Chapter 19

"So what's the story?" Maverick asked sinking into a nearby seat and sipping his own coffee.

Lee had returned a good three hours later, shopping done and full of news about Ashley having a twin sister.

"Well it would appear Ashley has a twin, Erin."

"News to me," Maddie said, "We partnered for three years before Top Gun and not once did she mention any family until we got selected. That was when I first heard about Ice."

"According to Erin she'd always been secretive. When they were little kids right up until the divorce, Ashley often disappeared for hours somewhere. When she returned home she refused to say a word about where she'd been or if she'd been with anyone. It used to drive their mother crazy with worry and it was one of the reasons why her parent's marriage broke up."

"So what happened?"

"Well the girls were twelve when their parents divorced and their father left taking Tom, or rather Iceman as we know him, with him. Iceman was the eldest, then the girls followed by three other boys. Anyway, after the marriage split their father left and their mother's health started to fail alarmingly from Kidney Disease. She was on the transplant list but died before they could find her a kidney. Erin said she and Ashley tried to keep the family together but Ashley couldn't handle it. Apparently Ashley was closest to their mother. So when their mother died Ashley took off, no one knew where."

"How old was she when that happened?" Maddie asked.

"Fourteen apparently, meanwhile, their father took Tom but refused to take the others. Other family reltives stepped in and took the others. Thier father wanted nothing to do with them. Erin said it was a really horrible time and wasn't surprised when Ashley ran, Erin's been searching for her ever since. She was quite surprised when she found Ashley had joined the navy, Ashley had always rebelled against authority and those that tried to tell her what to do unless of course she wanted to do it.

Both Maverick and Maddie laughed, "That's Ashley alright!"

"Of course once Ashley went into the navy Erin started running into brick walls and couldn't get any further information after that."

"But Ashley's never mentioned her family or sister," Maddie said confused.

"Yeah I know." Lee shrugged, "I'm sure she had her reasons but the fact of the matter is, she has a twin. An identical twin I might add."

"Does she look like Ashley?" Maverick asked.

"Yeap, identical in every way, mannerisms, habits, looks, everything. The only difference I could see is that Erin talks when she's nervous, Ashley was always super quiet. Oh and her hair doesn't hang down to her waist but it's the same colour red alright."

"Must have been a bit of a shock seeing her like that?" Maddie half asked.

"You've got no idea," Lee muttered still reeling from the unexpected event.

"What are you going to do?" Maverick asked.

"Talk to our ghost I suppose, see if I can get some answers or something. Iceman said his father let him stay in touch with the others for awhile but they were scattered all over the country. Their father didn't go to their mother's funeral. Ice doesn't know why, but like Ashley, his father was secretive. He did, however, acknowledge Ashley when she showed up on his doorstep two years later looking for a place to live. Ice said it was just like she hadn't been missing at all. She just showed up as though she'd only just left her mothers house down the street or something. Both him and his father tried to find out where she'd been but she refused to talk about it. There's two years missing from her life and no one knows a thing about it. Ice said she never spoke about it or anything to do with her mother and other siblings. Ice and his Dad had several theories in where she had been but they were only guesses. Did you get in touch with a private investigator?"

"Yeah, here's his card. He said he'll make some preliminary enquiries but being the weekend he most likely won't get too far. He'll give you a call on Monday. Are you going to say anything to the kids?"

"I'll definitely talk to Chelsea about it, she's old enough to know something. Erin wants to meet them."

"What happened to their other brothers?" Maverick asked.

"One's in jail, went right off the rails apparently, after a Uncle abused him. Another is some rich stock broker in New York and the third became an explorer and is currently living in some remote village in Nepal."

"Well I think we should wait and see what the investigator finds first and then maybe arrange to meet her. Somewhere neutral where all three of us can be."

"I agree with Mav," Maddie chimed in. "Ashley's never said a word to any of us about this sister, including Ice, and that makes me suspicious."

"Yeah you're telling me." Lee muttered getting up and looking out the back window at his children running riot in the back yard when something caught his attention.

A fight had broken out and judging by the flash of pink and reddish brown hair it was his daughter. The object of her target, no doubt was Darry.

"Uuuurrrgghhhhh! Come on Mav, let's go bust a couple of kids up." Lee started out the back door. He was actually grateful for the mundane task which distracted his thoughts from the drama that morning.

Maverick groaned, "Not again! That's the fifth fight this morning."

Lee was fresh out of the shower and getting ready to head to the Officer's Club when he felt the presence. His children were all in bed sound asleep and Rebecca was babysitting as Maddie and Maverick had both decided to join him for the evening. Rebecca had proven to be an abosolute blessing for both Lee and Maddie as she helped look after the kids.

Lee pulled a shirt from the cupboard and surprisingly his ghost didn't try to prevent him from putting it on. In fact, you wouldn't have even known she was in the room except for the feeling of not being alone.

As he did his black shirt up and turned around he noted the curtains moving as though someone was fidgeting with them.

"There you are." Despite himself Lee smiled. The thought of having me close by was comforting in itself. "Thought you might show up given that I met your sister today."

The fidgeting stopped and she stood there quietly listening. "Erin looks like you, hair, face, laugh, everything. Why didn't you tell me you had a twin sister and three other brothers?"

Lee knew she wouldn't answer him but he had to try. He waited quietly when the alarm on his clock suddenly changed from five am to seven am, something he always did on a Friday night.

"Ashley, you're avoiding the subject."

His notepad that always sat on his desk flew across the room straight at him and he ducked. It landed in a messy heap on his bed. "I take it by that to mean you don't want to talk about it?" There was no answer and everything went still yet again. "Erin's been looking for you for a long time. She wants to meet the children and probably get to know them like all good Aunts do. She's already met Ice apparently."

He watched as the cupboard door opened and slammed shut with a resounding bang.

"Okay, I guess you don't want me or the children to meet her, why not?"

Again, no answer other than a slight indent in the pillow on his bed and a very faint sound of crying.

"Ashley, Erin told me a little bit about what happened when you left and how close you were to your mother and obviously that's pretty painful for you to remember and I'm sorry but it's all in the past now. I had coffee with your sister today and she seems very nice, a lot like you. Not as beautiful of course but still has that same kind heart that you did."

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" Maverick's annoyed shout was heard up the hallway as another door banged shut. "Can I at least have my clothes?"

Lee went into the hallway and saw his partner standing outside his room, clad in only a towel as the door opened and his clothes were hurled in his face. Once again the door slammed shut in his face.

"Please tell me you're not upsetting Maddie again?" Lee asked smiling wryly.

"Nope just Ashley." Maverick glared at the closed door and stalked into his partner's room to finish getting dressed.

"Ah yes, I was just talking to her, telling her about Erin and meeting her."

"No wonder she's pissed. Maddie can deal with her now. Did she say anything?"

"Threw the notepad at me when I asked her why she didn't tell me about Erin or her other brothers. Then, when I asked her why she didn't want me or the children meeting Erin she burst into tears." Lee shrugged, "You go work it out."

"I'm trying too but she's female. Hell I can't even understand my own wife, how can I understand a temperamental ghost?"

"Good point," Lee commented lightly.

"Hey Ashley," Maddie greeted her with no surprise. She stood in front of her closet surveying tops and trying to decide which one to wear. Suddenly a purple and blue dress appeared out of nowhere and was tossed at her. "I guess you want me to wear that?" The cupboard doors closed in answer. "I haven't worn this in awhile, it might not fit me."

There was an impatient type thud on the floor and Maddie could only guess her old friend was stamping her foot in annoyance.

"Okay, okay I'll wear it. Mav likes this one anyway. So did Lee tell you about Erin?" Maddie started to change out of her jeans and into the dress that her resident ghost had chosen.

Suddenly Maddie was practically showered in perfume that set her off coughing while Ashley's delighted giggle bounced around the room. "Not funny Ashley!" She slipped the dress over her head and the zipper appeared to magically do up all by itself. The dress still fit her nicely and clung in all the right places. The colours highlighting the deep colour of her eyes and making them look bigger than what they were.

"Good choice if I do say so myself," Maddie stated admiring the dress she hadn't worn in a long time in the mirror. "Are you trying to tell me you like to be in control and when you're mother died things were out of control and you couldn't handle it, is that why you ran?"

There was a giggle and Maddie took it to mean she had guessed right.

"Where did you go Ashley, when you left?"

Maddie was reading a recent law magazine that was sitting beside her bed when suddenly it flicked open to a random page then closed with a snap and was hurled across the room hitting the wall with a heavy thud. "None of my business right?" Maddie sighed as she picked up the magazine and put it back on her bedside table. "I'm sorry for asking. Do you mind if we meet Erin and let the kids get to know her?"

Her mirror fogged and the word 'no' appeared followed by a love heart.

"I take it that means you loved your sister and hated leaving her and your family behind but it was too hard for you when your mum died? When you returned they were all gone and you had no idea where so you went to your father's house and he took you in?"

It was then a piece of paper was screwed up and tossed across the room, landing neatly in the bin. "Got it in one right?" Maddie asked and was rewarded by a giggle. "Do you want Lee and the children to meet Erin?"

Maddie jumped a little as an unexpected brush of cold slid across her cheek like her cheek was being patted. "Oh good, I think it's a good idea and I think Lee will draw some comfort from the situation also."

Again giggles were heard faintly in the room.

"Well you know your husband Ashley and let's just say he's developed a hunger for women recently. I have no doubts he'll try and date her under the excuse of getting to know her, hence why I'm asking. We really don't want to explain to her why her dead sister's trying to throw her out of the house just because she's talking to your husband do we? Besides if she's a carbon copy of you, as he says she is, he's bound to date her trying sub-consciously to bring you back into his life. Make sense?"

Another giggle followed by a long sigh drifted in the quiet room and Maddie smiled to herself. "I'll take that to mean yes."

"She's agreed to you and the children meeting Erin." Maddie broke the news to her friend later that night.

"Oh good." He paid for the drinks and handed one to her, leaning back against the bar and surveying the crowd. A nearby blonde caught his eye and he threw her a charming smile while she answered with one of her own. Maddie rolled her eyes. "She said it was none of our business as to where she disappeared to for a couple of years."

"Figures." Lee sipped his drink and grinned idiotically when the girl he was checking out licked hers suggestively.

"You're not listening to me are you?"

"Sure I am, Ashley's okay with Erin and I'm about to hopefully score." Lee pushed himself away from the bar. "Catch ya later, Maddie."

Maddie only shook her head and made her way back to the table and her husband.


	20. Chapter 20

**Two Years Later**

Chelsea watched with her heart in her mouth as the grandfather's private plane taxied to where she stood waiting. Dad and Erin were right behind her, hands clasped tight.

"You ready for this Chels?" Lee asked as the plane stopped and the engine's shut down.

Chelsea nodded trying hard not to cry. She'd already said goodbye to the twins and Jake, Eli, Maddie and Maverick. She didn't bother with Darry seeing as how he was the reason why she was leaving.

The door to the plane opened and a small set of steps dropped into place, her handsome grandpa stepping into view. "Hello Princess!"

"Grandpa!" Chelsea ran forward and launched herself into his arms for a hug.

"Well it's good to see you too Honey. Are you all packed ready to go?"

"Yeap." Chelsea indicated the bags sitting behind them on the tarmac. George's long time plane attendant collected the luggage without further instruction.

"Hi Dad, how was the flight?"

"Not bad at all, quite comfortable actually." George turned to the girl standing quietly beside his son and like everyone else couldn't quite get over the similarities to Ashley. "You have to be the lovely Erin."

"I am Sir and it's a pleasure to meet you. Lee's told me lot's of things about you and you're beautiful home. Chelsea's so excited to be living with her grandparents. It's all she's talked about for the past two weeks."

"Erin," Lee said quietly and squeezed her hand."

"Oh sorry, I'm rabbling again."

"Yes you are." Lee and George both laughed.

"Well Princess, are you ready to go?" George turned to his grand daughter.

"Yeap, can I say goodbye to Dad first?"

"Of course you can. I'll be on board waiting, only don't take too long."

"I won't."

Chelsea turned and threw her arms around her father in a tight hug. "I'll write and ring lot's and lots of times."

"I know you will Honey."

"And remember you have to pack Jake's lunch for him or he won't eat anything."

Lee laughed, "Honey he'll be fine besides you left me a list a mile long so I'm not likely to forget now am I?"

"Oh yeah. Okay, well bye Dad. Bye Erin."

"Bye Chelsea, you have a good trip to your grandparent's place."

"I will. Can I tell you a secret?"

"Sure, what's that?" Erin knelt down so she was on the same level as Chelsea.

"I'll be back for the wedding!"

Chelsea giggled as Erin turned a light shade of red. "He has to ask me first Silly." Erin gave her niece a poke with her finger that sent her into giggles. "Now go, your Grandfather's waiting for you."

Lee and Erin had been together for two years now and were close. Many had hinted at a wedding but Lee was taking his time.

Chelsea gave her father one last kiss before climbing the stairs and joining her waiting grandfather. They waved as the door to the plane was closed.

"What did she say to you?" Lee asked Erin as he pulled her back into his arms, listening to the engine's start back up again.

"Never you mind." Erin grinned to herself.

Lee quietly groaned, his daughter and girlfriend were notorious for their secrets especially when they were about him.

As the plane taxied out Chelsea's face appeared at the window and she waved excitedly. It was then something else caught Lee's eye and he looked hard. At the small window bahind Chelsea, he could see someone else waving. It wasn't his father, it was Ashley.

"Hey Maverick!" Lee yelled as soon as he and Erin let themselves into the big house.

Maverick was busy putting together a race track for Darry and Eli.

"What? Chelsea get away okay?"

"Yeap fine and we got rid of someone else too?"

"Don't tell me you sent Erin off to meet her future in-laws?" Maddie asked cheekily walking into the room with an arm load of old clothes. They had been cleaning out one of the spare rooms hence the discovery of the race track, much to the boys excitement.

"Nooooooo," Lee glared at her. He was pretty used to the constant marriage related remarks but every now and again they got under his skin.

Erin only laughed and plonked herself down on the floor with the boys to help put the track together. "Is this one of those old scale-electrix things?"

"Yeap," Darry grinned at her proudly. Eli was busy concentrating on putting things together in his precise careful way.

"Cool! My brothers used to have one and Ashley and I would always play with it all the time."

"I'm glad Chelsea's gone then," Darry muttered pulling a face and smiling quickly afterwards.

"Not nice young man." Maverick tickled his son. "Who else went with Chelsea, Lee?" Maverick swung the conversation around in curiosity back to what his friend had been saying.

"Our ghost."

"Oh thank god!" Maverick cried gleefully and lying back on the floor with a huge smile. "Since Erin moved in she's done nothing but harass me!"

"She always did have a thing for you!" Maddie teased and gave her husband a gentle push as he sat back up.

"Thought you'd like it, where's the twins?"

"Dance class but they should be home in about ten minutes," Maddie replied.

"Jake?"

"He's in his room colouring in quietly."

"Does anyone need me for anything?" Lee asked with a mischevious smile on his face.

"Nope why?"

"Because I'm going to get lucky!" Lee bent down and scooped Erin up off the floor as she shrieked and laughed. "Come on you! Let's go finish what we started before Krystal interrupted us."

The two disappeared upstairs and Maverick and Maddie shared a knowing look at the sound of the bedroom door closing. They both gave it twenty minutes before telling Eli and Darry to go get Erin.

Two seconds later a half-naked Lee roared, "You're dead Mitchell!"

"I'm out of here!" Maverick abandoned the race track he was about to test and bolted out the back door, a huge smile of mischief on his face. Lee and the boys were not far behind him.

Erin returned downstairs tugging her top back into place and sat down to help Maddie sort out the clothes. "Thanks Maddie." She gave her new found friend a conspiratol wink.

"That's quite alright, Ashley."

The pair lapsed into gales of laughter.

The End!


End file.
